A mid level jet streak cut across the state as an upper level trough lifted northeast. Wind speeds near and just above ridgetop level between 50 knots and 65 knots combined with excellent mixing and a deepening surface trough over southeast Colorado, resulted in very strong winds across all of northern and central New Mexico.
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 mid level jet streak cut across the state as an upper level trough lifted northeast. Wind speeds near and just above ridgetop level between 50 knots and 65 knots combined with excellent mixing and a deepening surface trough over southeast Colorado, resulted in very strong winds across all of northern and central New Mexico. The strongest winds occurred across the high terrain of the south central and southwest mountains. Fortunately, no damage was reported. However, sand from White Sands National Monument blew into the upper Tularosa Valley, the south central mountains and as far east as the Texas border. Near zero visibilities were reported between Clovis and Portales, as well as south of Roswell on Highway 285.
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 Feb 28, 3:30 AM MST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 330 AM MST TUE FEB 28 2012 ...POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN TODAY... .DISCUSSION... THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TAPPED A BIT MORE MOISTURE THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED...AND THE PACIFIC FRONT IS CROSSING MORE SLOWLY THAN EXPECTED TODAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE SAN JUANS AND FAR NW HIGHLANDS SHOULD VERIFY WELL. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW IN THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS TODAY... ESPECIALLY ON WEST FACING SLOPES. THE SLOWER FRONTAL PASSAGE SHOULD ENABLE BETTER MIXING AND A BETTER CHANCE FOR STRONG WINDS. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED FROM PECOS TO LAS VEGAS AND SOUTHWARD TOWARD RUIDOSO AND DUNKEN. FARTHER EAST...WE WILL UPGRADE THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A WARNING IN QUAY AND DE BACA COUNTIES. THE STRONG SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT...AREA OF STRONGEST 700 MB WINDS AND CONVINCING AGREEMENT AMONG THE MOS GUIDANCE JUSTIFY THIS DECISION. FARTHER SOUTH...WILL UPGRADE THE WATCH TO A WIND ADVISORY ACROSS CHAVES PROPER AND ROOSEVELT COUNTIES. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL EJECT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE UPPER GREAT PLAINS TONIGHT...ENABLING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO END IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS BY SUNSET. HOWEVER...A PERSISTENTLY TIGHT SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PLAINS SHOULD ENABLE 50 MPH GUSTS TO CONTINUE PAST SUNSET INTO THE MID EVENING. WED THROUGH FRI...ANOTHER BIG UPPER LOW WILL PASS EASTWARD ALONG THE US/CANADIAN BORDER AND A BROAD UPPER TROUGH WILL PASS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THIS WILL KEEP WINDS ALOFT STRONG OVER NM...WHILE A SURFACE TROUGH PERSISTS IN THE LEE OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS EACH DAY MAINLY OVER EASTERN NM WITH A DRY...DOWNSLOPING...W OR SW WIND. DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK...THU SHOULD BE THE DAY WITH THE MOST WIDESPREAD WINDY CONDITIONS...WITH STRONGER WINDS IMPACTING WESTERN AREAS AS WELL. WEST WIND GUSTS COULD REACH 50 MPH FROM PECOS TOWARD CONCHAS AND SOUTHWARD TO RUIDOSO AND DUNKEN THURSDAY. MODELS NOW DEPICT BETTER MOISTURE WITH THIS SYSTEM...SO LOCATIONS NEAR THE CO BORDER MAY RECEIVE LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION MAINLY THU NIGHT AND FRI. THE SYSTEM WILL ALSO DRIVE A COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE STATE THU NIGHT AND FRI. WARMER...DRIER AND LESS WINDY WEATHER IS EXPECTED OVER THE COMING WEEKEND AS A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE SW US. 44 && .AVIATION... A VERY DYNAMIC SCENARIO SHAPING UP OVER THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. TIMING OF TAF CHANGE GROUPS IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUE TODAY AS RAPIDLY EVOLVING WX WILL SLIDE OVER THE AREA. A SHARP BAND OF RAIN TO SNOW WITH A DRAMATIC WIND SHIFT TO SW THEN W CURRENTLY ENTERING FAR WESTERN NM WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE STATE RAPIDLY THIS MORNING. BULK OF VSBY RESTRICTIONS WILL CONFINE TO THE NORTHERN MTS THRU THE AFTERNOON WHERE BEST SHOT OF SNOW ACCUMS EXISTS. WIDESPREAD LIFR FOG AND LOW CLOUDS OVER THE EAST WILL SCOUR OUT FROM WEST TO EAST 12Z TO 15Z. STRONG WEST WINDS WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE AREA...ESPECIALLY THE EAST WHERE GUSTS TO 50KTS ARE EXPECTED. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60KTS ARE POSSIBLE AROUND KSRR WHERE THE STRONGEST WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX THRU THE AREA. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH THIS EVENING FROM WEST TO EAST. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 22Z. GUYER && .FIRE WEATHER... A RAPIDLY EVOLVING WX SCENARIO WILL TAKE SHAPE TODAY. DESPITE THE WIDESPREAD FOG...LIGHT RAIN...AND LOW CLOUDINESS OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE...DEEP MIXING WILL DEVELOP OVER THE REGION AS A POWERFUL DRY SLOT SLIDES THROUGH. FARTHER WEST A BAND OF RAIN/SNOW WILL CONSOLIDATE INTO THE NORTHERN MTS WHERE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED. THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE WX AREA TODAY WILL BE ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MT CHAIN WHERE GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH MIN RH VALUES NEAR 10PCT. VERY HIGH TO EVEN EXTREME FIRE DANGER IS SHOWN ON THE WFAS MAP FOR TODAY FOR MUCH OF THE EAST CENTRAL AND SE PLAINS AS WELL. WINDS WILL DIMINISH GRADUALLY THIS EVENING. SOME BREEZINESS WILL LINGER OVER THE EAST ALL NIGHT. A SMALL MARGINAL CRITICAL AREA IS EXPECTED TOMORROW FOR A FEW HOURS BETWEEN CLINES CORNERS AND SANTA ROSA BUT WILL NOT ISSUE ANY FIRE WX HIGHLIGHTS. WINDS INCREASE AGAIN THURSDAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE AS A BROAD DEEP FORWARD TILT TROUGH SLIDES NORTH OF NM. ANOTHER PERIOD OF CRITICAL FIRE WX WILL OCCUR FROM THE CENTRAL MTS EASTWARD HOWEVER WILL DEFER ISSUANCE OF FIRE WX WATCH TO THE DAY SHIFT AS THERE ARE CURRENTLY A MULTITUDE OF HEADLINES ALREADY FOR OUR CURRENT STORM IN PROGRESS. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE FOR THURSDAY WILL BE STRONGER INSTABILITY AND HIGHER HAINES VALUES. BLOWING DUST AND A STRONGER GUST SPREAD WILL BE MORE COMMON THAN TODAY. ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC FRONT WILL SLAM THE AREA FRIDAY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE THURSDAY TROUGH AXIS. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AGAIN BUT WITH STRONG COLD ADVECTION MAX RH VALUES MAY STAY HIGH ENOUGH TO AVOID CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR ALL BUT THE SE PLAINS. TEMPS WILL BELOW NORMAL FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH THIS COLD ADVECTION AND LOWS WILL EXHIBIT STRONG NOCTURNAL INVERSION PATTERNS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNING. GUYER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 46 20 50 26 / 60 5 0 0 DULCE........................... 39 7 41 15 / 70 10 0 0 CUBA............................ 42 17 48 21 / 50 0 0 0 GALLUP.......................... 41 13 51 21 / 50 0 0 0 EL MORRO........................ 39 15 50 21 / 40 0 0 0 GRANTS.......................... 43 18 53 23 / 30 0 0 0 QUEMADO......................... 44 17 55 24 / 20 0 0 0 GLENWOOD........................ 51 20 59 23 / 20 0 0 0 CHAMA........................... 33 6 38 13 / 70 30 0 0 LOS ALAMOS...................... 41 19 50 25 / 40 5 0 0 PECOS........................... 40 21 50 26 / 30 0 0 0 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 37 10 46 16 / 50 5 0 0 RED RIVER....................... 30 10 38 17 / 60 20 0 0 ANGEL FIRE...................... 34 12 43 18 / 40 10 0 0 TAOS............................ 40 15 48 20 / 30 0 0 0 MORA............................ 40 17 52 24 / 20 5 0 0 ESPANOLA........................ 48 21 54 23 / 20 5 0 0 SANTA FE........................ 41 21 50 26 / 30 0 0 0 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 45 21 52 24 / 20 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 49 26 55 32 / 10 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 49 27 56 32 / 10 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 52 28 58 31 / 10 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 52 27 57 30 / 10 0 0 0 LOS LUNAS....................... 53 25 59 28 / 10 0 0 0 RIO RANCHO...................... 51 26 56 30 / 10 0 0 0 SOCORRO......................... 60 27 62 30 / 0 0 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 46 22 51 28 / 20 0 0 0 TIJERAS......................... 49 24 53 28 / 10 0 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 45 23 53 27 / 10 0 0 0 CLINES CORNERS.................. 41 22 50 28 / 5 0 0 0 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 49 24 54 29 / 0 0 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 55 24 57 28 / 0 0 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 47 29 53 33 / 0 0 0 0 CAPULIN......................... 45 21 56 28 / 10 0 0 0 RATON........................... 49 21 57 26 / 10 0 0 0 SPRINGER........................ 50 23 60 27 / 10 0 0 0 LAS VEGAS....................... 45 22 58 28 / 10 5 0 0 CLAYTON......................... 55 25 59 32 / 10 0 0 0 ROY............................. 51 24 61 32 / 10 0 0 0 CONCHAS......................... 59 27 66 34 / 5 0 0 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 57 30 64 35 / 0 0 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 62 28 66 34 / 5 0 0 0 CLOVIS.......................... 63 29 65 33 / 0 0 0 0 PORTALES........................ 65 30 66 32 / 5 0 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 65 29 68 33 / 0 0 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 73 31 72 36 / 0 0 0 0 PICACHO......................... 62 27 66 36 / 0 0 0 0 ELK............................. 55 28 61 36 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ518-521>524-529-532>534-537-539-540. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-106>108. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501-504-511-516-517-519-520-525. WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ535-536-538. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ512>515-527-528-530-531. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ508-526. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ502-505>507-509. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ503-510. && 44/GUYER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 624 AM MST MON FEB 27 2012 NMZ501>540-281200- 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- 624 AM MST MON FEB 27 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD TO CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TONIGHT...BEFORE PERSISTING THROUGH TUESDAY. A FEW TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION ARE ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TUESDAY...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO...THEN STRENGTHEN AS THEY SPREAD TO INCLUDE THE EASTERN PLAINS. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND HIGHLANDS. GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE SANTA FE METRO AREA. ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS DURING THE AFTERNOON TUESDAY...BUT WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW AND DRIFT THE SNOW. FURTHER...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF I-25 TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...BOUTS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF THE EASTERN PLAINS EACH AFTERNOON. THE MOST WIDESPREAD FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY...WHEN WEST WINDS MAY REACH 50 MPH FROM LAS VEGAS TO CONCHAS AND SOUTHWARD TO AROUND RUIDOSO AND DUNKEN. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 44
29 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso measured sustained winds over 40 mph for over 5 hours. The highest sustained wind speeds occurred around 730 am MST.
The Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso measured gusts over 58 mph for over 4 hours. The peak wind gust of 74 mph occurred at 735 am MST.
Taos Ski Valley recorded a peak wind gust of 66 mph at mountain top, however strong winds occurred much of the morning.
The White Sands Mesonet Site at Phillips Hill reported peak wind gusts of 58 and 59 mph between 830 and 1015 am MST.
The Las Vegas ASOS recorded occasional wind gusts over 58 mph for nearly 3 hours. The peak wind gust of 64 mph occurred at 1159 am MST.
The Las Vegas ASOS recorded sustained winds over 40 mph for 3 hours. The highest sustained winds occurred around 9 am MST.
Sustained winds over 40 mph persisted for at least an hour at the Roswell ASOS.
Gusts estimated near 60 mph occurred at Sandia Peak.
The West Texas Mesonet site near Dora recorded wind gusts up to 62 mph.
The Dunken RAWS measured a 60 mph wind gust.
Winds were estimated to be near 60 mph near Lamy.
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory recorded wind gusts up to at least 74 mph for several hours.
The APRSWXNET site near Sumner Lake recorded wind gusts of 58 mph for approximately 30 minutes.
Sustained winds over 40 mph were recorded at Clines Corners for at least 2 hours. The highest sustained speed was 48 mph.
Wind gusts near 60 mph were estimated near Cuervo, while a 59 mph was measured in Santa Rosa.
The Raton ASOS recorded peak wind gusts over 58 mph for over an hour. The peak wind gust was 63 mph which occurred at the onset of the stronger wind gusts.
Severe wind gusts were recorded at Clines Corners for over an hour. The peak wind gust of 67 mph occurred at 2 pm MST.
Spotters estimated wind gusts of 60 mph near Bueyeros.
Spotters estimated wind gusts of 60 mph near Glorieta.
The Tucumcari ASOS measured sustained winds over 40 mph for at least an hour.
Sustained winds over 40 mph were reported across Curry County.
Spotters estimated wind gusts of 60 mph in Bell Ranch.
Spotters estimated wind gusts of 70 mph near Capulin.
Spotters at the Mineral Hill Fire Department measured a wind gust of 64 mph.
The Clayton ASOS measured a 60 mph wind gust.
The Tucumcari ASOS measured severe wind gusts for nearly 30 minutes.
The Clovis ASOS measured a 58 mph wind gust.
Later that night, winds picked up at the Raton ASOS once again, though this time due to mountain wave activity. Severe gusts lasted for over 2 hours.
Later that night, winds picked up at the Raton ASOS once again, though this time due to mountain wave activity. Sustained winds over 40 mph persisted for 4 hours.
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, February 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: 359138, 359137, 359139, 359142, 359140, 359141, 359143, 359144, 359146, 359145, 359150, 359151, 359152, 359168, 359153, 359147, 359167, 359169, 359171, 359180, 359154, 359172, 359174, 359175, 359178, 359179, 359177, 359148, 359149.