A potent winter storm system surged south across the northern Rockies into NM, ushering in a potent cold front and areas of heavy snow. Strong forcing for lift between the Pacific cold front and the arctic back door cold front developed an area of heavy snow from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains south and east to the Santa Fe metro area and the central and northeast highlands.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
A potent winter storm system surged south across the northern Rockies into NM, ushering in a potent cold front and areas of heavy snow. Strong forcing for lift between the Pacific cold front and the arctic back door cold front developed an area of heavy snow from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains south and east to the Santa Fe metro area and the central and northeast highlands. Lighter snowfall amounts were reported across surrounding areas. Heavy snow and very cold temperatures created exceptionally high snow ratios where some areas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains reported snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. The coldest temperatures of the season moved into the region behind this storm system. NMDOT reported difficult to severe travel conditions along portions of Interstates 25 and 40, as well as several other state highways in northeastern New Mexico.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Albuquerque, NM wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 9, 4:37 AM MST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 437 AM MST SUN DEC 9 2012 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE SOUTHBOUND COLD FRONT SWEEPING ACROSS NEW MEXICO THROUGH 06Z LATE SUN NIGHT WITH BROAD SWATH OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS...EXCURSIONS TO IFR CIGS AND VIZ IN HEAVIER SHOWERS...AND GUSTY WINDS VEERING TO THE NORTH BEHIND THE FRONT. TAFS WRITTEN TO CHANGE RAIN OVER TO SNOW AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN AND DAY WEARS ON...WITH SCT CLOUD GROUPS AS PLACEHOLDER FOR LOWEST EXPECTED CIG. WEATHER GROUPS INDICATE PERIOD OF MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD OF SHOWER BREAKOUTS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. RAPID CLEARING BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH SNOW ENDING AND CIGS VANISHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH 03Z SUN EVENING THROUGH 12Z MON MORNING. SHY && .PREV DISCUSSION...356 AM MST SUN DEC 9 2012... UPCOMING STORM SYSTEM PRETTY MUCH ON TRACK AND STRONG COLD FRONT HAS...AS OF THIS WRITING...ALREADY CLEARED THE NE QUARTER OF NM. THE W PORTION OF FRONT WAS NOT YET INTO THE NW CORNER OF NM...BUT THAT SHOULD HAPPEN BY OR VERY SOON AFTER DAWN. THIS SYSTEM WILL THEN FAIRLY QUICKLY TRANSLATE S/SE ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE DAY AND EVE. PREVIOUS SHIFT LOWERED SNOW ACCUM A LITTLE AND THAT LOOKS GOOD AS 06Z MODEL RUNS EASING A LITTLE FURTHER IN THAT DIRECTION...BUT STILL ENOUGH EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES AS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED. DID MAKE A SMALL CHANGE BY ADDING ZONE 517. SNOW AMTS THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE AND PROBABLY A BIT LESS THAN THE 1 TO 2 INCH RANGE...BUT ADDING GUSTY WINDS AND THE SHARP CHANGE TO MUCH COLDER TEMPS TO THE SNOW ASPECT SEEMS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A LOW GRADE ADVISORY...ESPECIALLY AFTER SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF MILD TO WARM AND SNOWLESS WX. THE MOST INTENSE PRECIP WITH THIS WINTRY SYSTEM SHOULD STILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. W OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN ANY SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE WILL BE CONFINED TO A NARROW SWATH JUST WITH AND ESPECIALLY JUST BEHIND THE W PORTION OF THE FRONT AS IT PLOWS S AND SE...THE DURATION LASTING MOST LIKELY LESS THAN 2 OR 3 HOURS. FROM CENTRAL MTN CHAIN AND E PCPN DURATION SHOULD LAST A FEW HOURS LONGER AND BE SIGNIFICANTLY HEAVIER. PCPN AMTS WILL STILL BE A BIT TRICKY DEPENDING ON HOW WELL TIMED THE BEST UPPER LVL ENERGY/LIFT WILL BE WITH THE LOWER LEVEL UPSLOPE FLOW COMPONENT IN E HALF OF THE STATE AND THE OVERALL PROGRESS AND ORIENTATION OF THE FRONT. STILL LOOKS LIKE GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL PROBABLY ACROSS AND NEAR THE E SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS AND A LITTLE WAYS TO THE S AND E. LOW TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT WILL DROP BETWEEN THE NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE LOWER TEENS AREAWIDE WITH MON NIGHT ONLY SLIGHTLY LESS COLD. WARMING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CROSSES ALOFT. AN UPPER LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER NORTHERN CA WED NIGHT...THEN CROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ROCKIES THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. MODEL SOLUTIONS STILL VARY SOMEWHAT BETWEEN MODELS AND FROM RUN TO RUN...SO HOW MUCH PCPN WILL FALL AND EXACTLY WHERE IN NM IS STILL SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN. CURRENT TIMING IS BETWEEN THU NIGHT AND FRI NIGHT...WHILE NOT AS COLD AS CURRENTLY APPROACHING SYSTEM...IT WILL STILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO PRODUCE ACCUMULATING SNOW...ESPEC ALONG AND WEST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM AS CURRENTLY PROGGED BY THE MODELS WOULD FAVOR THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND NORTHWEST PLATEAU FOR THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. 43 .FIRE WEATHER... CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER...NOT EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. MODELS...IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES EMERGING ON AN ACTIVE PATTERN EVOLUTION BY NEXT WEEKEND. DIGGING TROUGH OUT OF THE CENTRAL ROCKIES WILL PLUNGE SOUTHWARD TO THE TEXAS BIG BEND COUNTRY BY TONIGHT...WITH TRAILING SHORTWAVE MOVING OUT OF THE WASATCH FRONT INTO SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO BY TUESDAY. AS THE TROUGHS MOVE WELL EAST OF THE STATE BY TUESDAY NIGHT...SHORT LIVED RIDGING WILL POP UP FROM THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA ACROSS ARIZONA TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH THIS FEATURE MOVING ACROSS NEW MEXICO THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NORTH PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL MOVE OFF THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN AND CLOSE UP OVER SAN FRANCISCO BAY LATE WEDNESDAY...SHEAR ACROSS ARIZONA ON THURSDAY...AND ACROSS NEW MEXICO ON FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. MODELS DIFFERING ON HANDLING OF THE TROUGH TIMING HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND. EUROPEAN ECMWF SOLUTION AMPLIFYING TROUGH EN ROUTE ACROSS NEW MEXICO FOR MAJOR DIG INTO THE HEART OF TEXAS THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE FOLLOWING WORK WEEK. DOMESTIC GFS QUICKER AND MORE PROGRESSIVE...WITH TROUGH SWARM APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY LATE SUNDAY LEAVING NEW MEXICO UNDER RIDGING. WILL GO FOR A DIFFERENCE SPLIT FOR NOW...WITH LEAN TOWARD THE ECMWF FOR SOMEWHAT GREATER RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY. FOR TODAY...COLD FRONT PLUNGING SOUTHWARD TO INTERSTATE 40 BY NOON...AND TO THE TEXAS BIG BEND COUNTRY AND NEW MEXICO SOUTHERN TIER BY SUNSET. MUCH COLDER AIR MOVING IN WITH THIS FRONT WILL HELP DROP SNOW LEVELS RAPIDLY THROUGH THE DAY. ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40...SUMMIT AND UPPER SLOPE SNOWS REACHING THE FOOTHILLS AND UPPER VALLEYS BY TONIGHT. EXPECT HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS...AND IN THE TEETH OF UP SLOPE EASTERLY FLOW AGAINST THE EAST SLOPES AND OVER THE ADJACENT PLAINS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN THROUGH THE NIGHT TONIGHT...MOVING THE SNOW FOCUS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AND OUT OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS. IN VALLEYS...MOST PRECIPITATION WILL BE RAIN SHOWERS...WITH RAIN CHANGING OVER TO LIGHT SNOW OVERNIGHT. GOOD TO EXCELLENT VENTILATION CONDITIONS...WITH NORTHWEST BREEZES DEVELOPING OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...AND GUSTY BRISK NORTH AND EAST WINDS OVER THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE STATE NEAR THE PLUNGING COLD FRONT. MUCH COLDER MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES FOR THE DAY...WITH 10 TO 20 DEGREE DEPARTURES BELOW EARLY DECEMBER NORMALS...COLDEST OVER THE NORTHEAST PLAINS. GOOD TO EXCELLENT HUMIDITY RECOVERIES OVERNIGHT...CONDITIONS DRIFTING TOWARD FAIR OVER THE DRIER SOUTH AND WEST. FOR MONDAY...TROUGH MOVING INTO TEXAS LEAVING NEW MEXICO IN STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW...WITH NEXT SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS UTAH BOUND FOR THE NORTHERN BORDER OF THE STATE. LAST OF THE LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY OVER THE SAN JUAN SUMMITS NEAR THE COLORADO LINE. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES CONTINUING 10 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW EARLY DECEMBER NORMALS WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES MOSTLY IN THE 20S AND 30S PCT. AFTERNOON BLUSTERY GUSTS OVER THE EASTERN SLOPES AND ADJACENT PLAINS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON...WITH DETERIORATING VENTILATION CONDITIONS UNDER LOWERED MIXING HEIGHTS AND MORE STABLE AIR MASS. GENERALLY GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERIES OVERNIGHT. FOR TUESDAY...SHORTWAVE MOVING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS NEW MEXICO DURING THE DAY...BUT MOSTLY WITH WIND AND LITTLE MOISTURE. WARMING AND GENTLE DRYING TREND UNDERWAY...WITH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES 8 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW MID DECEMBER NORMALS. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SPRAWLED ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST U.S. WILL KEEP AFTERNOON BREEZES LOCALIZED...AND DO LITTLE TO IMPROVE VENTILATION CONDITIONS. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES MOSTLY IN THE UPPER TEENS AND 20S PCT...WITH SOME 30S PCT OVER THE NORTH AND FAIR TO GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERIES OVERNIGHT. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WARMING ON WEDNESDAY LEVELING OFF THURSDAY...WITH NEXT PULSE OF COOLER AIR MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND NORTH ON FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES MOVING ABOVE NORMAL WEDNESDAY WILL COOL BACK TO NORMAL OR A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BY FRIDAY. PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVING TO ARIZONA FRIDAY WILL CIRCULATE SHOWERS INTO WESTERN NEW MEXICO BEGINNING THURSDAY DAYTIME...AND MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THROUGH FRIDAY. COOLER AIR AND PACIFIC MOISTURE WILL BOOST HUMIDITIES TO THE 30S AND 40S PCT BY FRIDAY CENTRAL AND WEST...WITH TEENS AND 20S PCT IN THE EAST. GENERAL UP TICK IN SOUTHWEST TO WEST WIND SPEEDS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...AND OVER THE EASTERN SLOPES AND ADJACENT PLAINS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN...WITH IMPROVING VENTILATION CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY. SHY && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 2 AM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ521-522-524-526-532-533-539. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ510>512-516>518-530-531. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ513>515-527>529. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 2 AM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ523. && 43
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MST SAT DEC 8 2012 NMZ501>540-091300- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS- SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY-SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-JEMEZ MOUNTAINS- WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-SANTA FE METRO AREA-ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA- LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-ESTANCIA VALLEY- CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY- SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA- FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-UNION COUNTY- HARDING COUNTY-EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-GUADALUPE COUNTY- QUAY COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- 600 AM MST SAT DEC 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WEATHER FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A WINTER STORM THAT WILL BRING SHARPLY COLDER TEMPERATURES ACCOMPANIED BY SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND GUSTY WINDS SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY. A FEW TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS LIKELY ACROSS ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO. THE FAVORED AREA FOR THE MOST HAZARDOUS COMBINATION OF SNOW...WIND AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES LOOKS TO BE FROM THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS EAST INTO THE FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS...INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR...ALSO SOUTH TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...EAST SLOPES OF THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS AND PERHAPS THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS. SURROUNDING THIS AREA THERE WILL LIKELY BE A LESS SOLID COVERAGE OF LIGHTER SNOWFALL AND MORE LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS. THESE AREAS IN SOME CASES MAY SEE A LITTLE RAIN AT THE START. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...HOWEVER SNOW AND OTHER HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER REPORTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. PLEASE CALL 888.386.7637 TO REPORT THESE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 43
9 heavy snow, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts between 6 and 13 inches were reported from various public sources, including ski areas and COOP data.
Snowfall amounts between 11 and 16 inches were reported from SNOTELs and the public including ski areas.
Snowfall amounts between 5 and 14 inches were reported from various locations, including COOP, ski areas, SNOTELs, and the public.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to near 6 inches were reported across this region. The combination of snow and gusty winds produced hazardous travel in the area per NMDOT, especially at Raton Pass. It is probably that winter storm conditions occurred in this region.
Snowfall amounts around 2 inches were reported in the area however the combination of wind and snow likely created winter storm conditions during this period. Treacherous travel conditions developed along Interstate 25 per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts of 2 to 6 inches were reported across this region. The combination of snow and wind created treacherous travel conditions along Interstate 25.
SNOTEL, public reports, including ski sites reported snowfall amounts ranging from 7 to 15 inches within the area from the eastern foothills of Santa Fe north to near Tres Ritos and foothills east of Taos.
Snowfall amounts between 3 and 4 inches were reported across this area. The combination of cold, snow, and wind created treacherous travel conditions along Interstate 40 for several hours per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts of 2 to 6 inches were reported from various sources including spotters, amateur radio, and COOP observers.
Twenty foot tree downed near Seven Bar Loop and La Sierrita.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2012
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 416884, 416885, 416886, 416887, 416888, 416889, 416883, 416890, 416891, 416882.