An unseasonably cold upper-level low pressure system over the Pacific Northwest on the 7th pushed slowly southeast across the Great Basin and into New Mexico through the 10th. Powerful upper-level winds in association with this system produced a widespread area of very strong surface winds along and east of the central mountain chain of 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.
An unseasonably cold upper-level low pressure system over the Pacific Northwest on the 7th pushed slowly southeast across the Great Basin and into New Mexico through the 10th. Powerful upper-level winds in association with this system produced a widespread area of very strong surface winds along and east of the central mountain chain of New Mexico. This storm system was fairly moisture starved. However, light to moderate snowfall accumulations did occur over portions of west central and northern New Mexico. Very cold temperatures moved into the region behind this system, breaking numerous record lows on the 12th.
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 Nov 9, 11:52 PM MST, 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1152 PM MST FRI NOV 9 2012 .UPDATE... WIND ADVISORY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MIDDLE AND LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY...WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREAS AND LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY IN ADDITION TO THE SOUTHWEST MTS. THIS WILL COVER AREAS ON WESTERN MARGINS OF CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING AREA. FRESH ZONES HEADED FOR THE WIRE SHORTLY. SHY && .PREV DISCUSSION...1059 PM MST FRI NOV 9 2012... .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE EXCURSIONS TO IFR OVERNIGHT FOR FMN...GUP...AND ABQ AS PACIFIC COLD FRONT SWEEPS EASTWARD OUT OF ARIZONA TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THROUGH 19Z SATURDAY. RAIN CHANGING OVER TO SNOW OVER THESE WESTERN POINTS BY 16Z SATURDAY IN RAPIDLY COOLING TEMPERATURES. WIND SPEEDS GUSTING ABOVE 30 KTS AS FRONT MOVES THROUGH. FURTHER EAST...STRONGER GUSTS APPROACHING 45 KTS FOR LVS AND TCC...A LITTLE BELOW THIS AT SAF AND ROW...WILL DROP VISIBILITIES TO MVFR IN BLOWING DUST FROM 16Z ONWARD SATURDAY IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT. MT OBSCURATION CONTG THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY NIGHT AND BEYOND. 43 .PREV DISCUSSION...306 PM MST FRI NOV 9 2012... ...SIGNIFICANT WIND AND PRECIPITATION EVENT DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO... THE CORE OF THE UPPER LOW HAS PUSHED ALONG THE WASHINGTON STATE AND BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER WITH AN EXTENSION OF LOWER PRESSURE CARVING OUT OVER THE GREAT BASIN AND INTO CALIFORNIA. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ALOFT HAVE STRENGTHENED AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE WHILE A 130 KT JET CONTINUES TO DEFINE A SHARP BAROCLINIC ZONE. THE SOUTHWESTERLIES ARE BRINGING STRONGER WINDS DOWN TO THE SURFACE IN MUCH OF NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON...AND A DECENT SLUG OF MOISTURE WAS ALSO ADVECTED INTO THE STATE OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH THE DAYTIME HOURS. THIS HAS SPAWNED SOME SHOWERS AND EVEN EMBEDDED THUNDER...MOSTLY OVER THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF NM...BUT SOME WARM AIR ADVECTION SHOWERS HAVE EVEN DEVELOPED IN PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS ARE STILL QUITE LARGE IN THE EAST...AND MUCH OF THIS MAY NOT REACH THE GROUND BEFORE EVAPORATING. WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN INTACT THROUGH THE EVENING FOR THE WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ZONES...PRIMARILY FOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN. SOME WINDS AT RIDGE TOP LEVEL MAY EXCEED ADVISORY CRITERIA AFTER MIDNIGHT IN BOTH THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...BUT OPTED TO SIMPLIFY THE PRODUCT. TONIGHTS LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RUN COOLER IN THE FAR WEST AS THE THERMAL TROUGH ALOFT APPROACHES...BUT MUCH OF THE CENTRAL TO EASTERN ZONES WILL REMAIN IN RELATIVELY WARMER SOUTHWEST FLOW. HIGH WIND WARNING WILL COVER MOST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN...ADJACENT HIGHLANDS AND HIGH PLAINS FOR SATURDAY WHERE 700MB FLOW AND SUBSEQUENT MOUNTAIN WAVES WILL PRODUCE STRONGEST GUST POTENTIAL. WILL ALSO ADD A WIND ADVISORY IN THE EASTERN TIER OF COUNTIES FOR SATURDAY...AND NEXT SHIFTS MAY NEED TO EXPAND TO INCLUDE THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ZONES AND ONCE AGAIN THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. AS FAR AS WINTRY WEATHER...THE BEST MOISTURE AND POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND OROGRAPHICS WILL ALL BE JUXTAPOSED OVER THE TUSAS/SAN JUANS...JEMEZ...AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS TOWARD DULCE WHERE SEVERAL INCHES ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN RACKING UP. SOME MODEST ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES COULD ALSO BE SEEN IN THE REMAINING ZONES OF THE NW QUADRANT OF NM WITH LOWEST VALLEY AREAS ONLY SEEING MIX OF RAIN/SNOW WITH SOIL TEMPERATURES TOO WARM FOR MUCH ACCUMULATION. THE SANGRES WILL ALSO SEE SOME ACCUMULATION...MOSTLY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND TOMORROW NIGHT...BUT MOISTURE WILL BE LESS ABUNDANT AND LOWER TOTALS ARE EXPECTED. INTO THE RIO GRANDE A MIX OF RAIN AND BRIEF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE PACIFIC FRONTAL PASSAGE WHERE FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING WILL BE THE PRIMARY DRIVER. THE FRONT WILL WORK EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN SATURDAY NIGHT...AND WINDS SHOULD DECOUPLE BY DARK WITH A FEW STUBBORN RIDGE TOP AND MOUNTAIN PEAK GUSTS PERSISTING A BIT LATER. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUALLY DECREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGHOUT SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. DAYTIME HIGHS WERE NOT TWEAKED MUCH FOR SUNDAY...STILL A CHILLY DAY WITH NORTHWEST WINDS LOOKING A BIT STRONGER AND ADDING TO THE NIP IN THE AIR. FLOW ALOFT WILL TURN ZONAL BY MONDAY...AND THEREAFTER THE WARMING TREND WILL BE QUICK. NEXT WEEKS PACIFIC PERTURBATION LOOKS TO BE A DUD NOW...WITH MODELS PROGRESSIVELY CARRYING IT FARTHER NORTH AS JUST AN OPEN WAVE TROUGH DEPLETED OF ANY SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE. 52 .FIRE WEATHER... WEATHER MORE TYPICAL OF MID NOVEMBER WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE WEEKEND BEFORE TEMPERATURES AND WINDS MODERATE. UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM SPRAWLED ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND PAC NW WILL SWING OVER THE ROCKIES TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE EXITING INTO THE PLAINS STATES MONDAY. SCATTERED MAINLY LIGHT SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TONIGHT. THERE MAY BE A FEW SHORT LIVED THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS ACTIVITY BUT RH RECOVERIES WILL BE GOOD TO EXCELLENT. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL REMAIN ABOVE AVERAGE THEN TEMPERATURES WILL TAKE A PLUNGE SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE STATE. HIGHS FROM THE CONTDVD WESTWARD WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE WHILE THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL REMAIN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS...WITH HIGHS VARYING FROM 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY BUT WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND ACROSS THE NORTHWEST QUARTER TO THIRD OF THE STATE. WITH THE COLDER TEMPERATURES THE SNOW LEVEL WILL LOWER CONSIDERABLY AND SNOW IS LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SAN JUAN...JEMEZ...AND CHUSKA MOUNTAINS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT WITH LESSER AMOUNTS OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AS STORM DYNAMICS ARE FORECAST TO TAPER OFF OVER THAT AREA. STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WITH GUSTS POSSIBLY TO 50 TO 60 MPH WILL BE MOST FAVORED FROM THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS SATURDAY ALTHOUGH LOCALES FROM THE RGV TO THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO SEE GUSTY WINDS BUT NOT QUITE AS STRONG. MIN RH VALUES SATURDAY MAY DIP TO NEAR 20 PERCENT OVER THE FAR EAST AS WELL IN THE LOWER RGV BUT NO FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE ANTICIPATED. A MUCH COLDER AND DRIER AIR MASS WILL SPREAD OVER THE ENTIRE REGION BY SUNDAY WITH SOME LOCALES ACROSS THE NORTH AND WEST SEEING HIGHS AS MUCH AS 20 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. SNOW WILL BE TAPERING OFF AND ALTHOUGH NOT AS STRONG AS SATURDAY...BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BLOW. ANOTHER FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS SUNDAY WITH RELATIVELY WEAKER NORTH WINDS. AGAIN MIN RH VALUES MAY DIP TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT IN THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS BUT WITH THE COLD AIR AND LOW HAINES NO HIGHLIGHTS PLANNED. THE COLDEST LOWS OF THIS FALL SEASON ARE FORECAST FOR SUNDAY NIGHT AS SKIES CLEAR AND WINDS START TO DIMINISH. EXCELLENT VENTILATION THROUGH SUNDAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY POOR VENTILATION OVERALL MONDAY AND TUESDAY UNDER MAINLY ZONAL FLOW OR A WEAK RIDGE ALOFT AND LIGHT WINDS. SOME IMPROVEMENT NOTED WEDNESDAY...BUT ACROSS MOST LOWER TERRAIN AREAS POOR VENTILATION WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED WHERE COLD AIR MAY TAKE SOME TIME TO MODIFY. THURSDAY MAY SEE GOOD VALUES FINALLY OVER MUCH OF THE WEST AND CENTRAL AS A DISTURBANCE PASSES OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO...ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO WARM CLOSER TO AVERAGE VALUES AND INCREASING MIXING HEIGHTS. THIS DISTURBANCE APPEARS TO BE MUCH LESS IMPRESSIVE THAN DEPICTED IN PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 AM TO 8 PM MST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ521>526-528-529-531>533-537>540. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ507-508-517>520. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 8 PM MST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ527-530-534>536. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501-502-504>506. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 AM MST SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ503-510-511. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ512>515. && SHY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 608 AM MST FRI NOV 9 2012 NMZ501>540-101300- 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- 608 AM MST FRI NOV 9 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A POTENT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL SLOWLY CROSS NEW MEXICO TODAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND STEERING A STRONG JET STREAM OVER THE STATE. AS A RESULT STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP...BEGINNING NEAR THE ARIZONA BORDER TODAY. GUSTS WILL REACH NEAR 50 MPH FROM GALLUP TO LUNA AND THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT IN THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. IN ADDITION...RAIN AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS WILL CROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TODAY AND TONIGHT. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO NEW MEXICO FROM THE WEST OVERNIGHT...DROPPING THE SNOW LEVEL AND INCREASING THE CHANCE OF SNOW ACCUMULATION ACROSS THE NORTHWEST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE FOCUS FOR STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD WITH THE JET STREAM ON SATURDAY. SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH WILL BE COMMON FROM THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS EASTWARD. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR WIND GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH ALONG THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...HIGHLANDS AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS...INCLUDING SANTA FE...LAS VEGAS...RUIDOSO AND ROSWELL. FURTHER...THE COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE SNOW LEVELS TO PLUMMET ON SATURDAY. BY SUNDAY MORNING...A FEW TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...HIGHLANDS AND PLATEAUS. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BRING RAIN AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS TO THE STATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE TRACK AND TIMING OF THE SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME...THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS APPEAR FAVORED FOR ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. 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, 5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Four inches of snow were reported in Dulce early on the 10th all of which melted. Another round of snow showers impacted the area overnight on the 10th to the 11th of which an additional 3 inches accumulated.
Cedarvale 11 SE 60mph wind gust.
Sierra Blanca airport 63mph gust.
Clines Corners 43mph sustained winds.
Clines Corners 59mph peak wind gust.
Clayton airport high sustained wind on and off for at least an hour with peak of 46mph.
Sierra Blanca airport reported high sustained winds on and off between 0815 and 1315 with a peak of 47mph.
Raton Crews airport 40mph sustained winds.
Las Vegas airport 59mph peak wind gust.
Clayton airport 58mph peak wind gust before ASOS went offline.
Las Vegas airport 44mph sustained wind.
Milagro 3 S peak wind gust to 70mph.
Tucumcari airport high sustained winds on and off with peak of 41mph.
Melrose range peak gust to 63mph.
Clovis airport high sustained winds on and off with peak of 41mph.
Capulin high sustained winds peaking at 40mph.
Capulin high sustained winds peaking at 40mph.
Roswell airpark peak wind gust 59mph.
SNOTEL, spotter, and ski area sites reported 4 to 12 inches of snowfall. Rain and snow changed over to all snow early on the afternoon of the 10th and snow continued through the overnight into the predawn hours on the 11th. Strong winds were also reported with this snowfall along with difficult driving conditions per NMDOT. The heaviest snowfall of 12 inches was reported at the Village of Taos Ski Valley.
SNOTEL, spotter, and ski area sites reported 6 to 10 inches of snowfall. Rain and snow changed over to all snow early on the afternoon of the 10th and snow continued through the overnight into the predawn hours on the 11th. Strong winds were also reported with this snowfall along with difficult driving conditions per NMDOT. The heaviest snowfall of 10 inches was reported at the Santa Fe SNOTEL.
Maes 10 ESE high sustained winds on and off with peak of 45 mph.
Maes 10 ESE high sustained winds on and off with peak of 45 mph.
Dunken 2 NE peak wind gust 61 mph.
Bueyeros 15 SSW peak wind gust 65mph.
Dora mesonet peak wind gust 59 mph.
Top of Sandia tram high sustained winds of 30-50mph several hours.
Transwestern pump station peak wind 64mph.
Yeso 12 NW peak wind gust 65mph.
Logan peak wind gust 61mph.
Tucumcari peak wind gust to 75mph.
Portales high sustained winds 45mph.
Fort Sumner 1 E peak wind gust 58mph CSFB.
Various observations including SNOTEL, trained spotters, and COOP sites reported generally 6 to 9 inches of snow. A first round of precipitation on the 10th came initially as rain which then changed to snowfall as temperatures dropped behind a cold front. The main accumulations occurred overnight on the 10th into the morning on the 11th when cold air and wrap around snowfall impacted the region. The heaviest amounts were reported around El Morro and the Zuni Mountains.
Storm total snowfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches were reported above 7500 feet. Rain and snow on the 10th changed to all snow overnight of which most accumulations occurred during the predawn hours on the 11th as cold air filtered into the area. Liquid equivalent amounts and the expected snow ratios for the Hopewell Lake SNOTEL site suggest up to 8 inches of snowfall is possible.
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, November 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: 413199, 412279, 412280, 412282, 412283, 412292, 412286, 412293, 412287, 412291, 412289, 412295, 412296, 412298, 412299, 412301, 412302, 412303, 413205, 413207, 412304, 412305, 412306, 412307, 412308, 412309, 412310, 412311, 412312, 412297, 412313, 412314, 413200, 413202.