Hail and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, October 12, 2012

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, October 12, 2012
Start: 2012-10-12T01:45
End: 2012-10-12T20:10
Location: New Mexico

October 12, 2012 · NWS MAF · 10 events in 2 counties and zones

An upper level low was approaching from the west along with a dryline/Pacific front. Good low level moisture and instability from clearing skies were present to the east of the dryline.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MAF wrote it up.

An upper level low was approaching from the west along with a dryline/Pacific front. Good low level moisture and instability from clearing skies were present to the east of the dryline. These features interacted to produce severe weather across Southeast New Mexico.

What forecasters said that day

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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 11, 10:45 PM MST, 3 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 11, 10:45 PM MST, 3 hours before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 11, 10:07 PM MST, 3 hours 38 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1207 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

TXZ079-080-120530-
PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU-
1207 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING
SOUTH CENTRAL PRESIDIO COUNTY UNTIL 1230 AM CDT...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN OPEN COUNTRY 17 MILES SOUTH OF
CASA PIEDRA AT 1206 AM CDT. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 15
MILES SOUTHWEST OF CASA PIEDRA ALONG FARM TO MARKET ROAD 169. BOTH
STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO HAIL AND STRONG WINDS... DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER... YOU
ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 2984 10409 2959 10385 2939 10406 2955 10430
TIME...MOT...LOC 0506Z 222DEG 27KT 2952 10406

Special weather statement, Oct 11, 10:30 PM MST, 3 hours 15 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Special weather statement, Oct 11, 10:50 PM MST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1250 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

TXZ080-120630-
MARFA PLATEAU-
1250 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING
EAST CENTRAL PRESIDIO COUNTY UNTIL 130 AM CDT...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES SOUTH OF MARFA ALONG FARM
TO MARKET ROAD 169 IN EAST CENTRAL PRESIDIO COUNTY AT 1249 AM
CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

GUSTY WINDS... HAIL... HEAVY RAIN... AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE.

&&

LAT...LON 3030 10401 3035 10388 3030 10380 3014 10380
      2997 10402 3012 10415
TIME...MOT...LOC 0549Z 234DEG 18KT 3010 10400

Special weather statement, Oct 12, 12:46 AM MST, 59 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
246 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

NMZ028-120830-
EDDY COUNTY PLAINS-
146 AM MDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NICKEL SIZED HAIL AND 40 TO 55
MPH WINDS AFFECTING NORTHWESTERN EDDY COUNTY UNTIL 230 AM MDT...

A THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WAS LOCATED 14 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF HOPE AT 146 AM MDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION.

&&

LAT...LON 3296 10485 3297 10484 3297 10457 3296 10456
      3265 10466 3263 10484
TIME...MOT...LOC 0746Z 217DEG 21KT 3275 10495

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 164 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 1:45 AM MST to 1:50 AM MST
Where: Eddy County, 3 mi NNE of Artesia
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 32.870, -104.380

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 2:00 AM MST to 2:05 AM MST
Where: Eddy County, Artesia
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 32.830, -104.400

A thunderstorm moved over Eddy County and produced baseball sized hail on the north side of Artesia along Highway 285 and State Road 2. There was roof and car damage reported. The cost of damage is a rough estimate.

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 2:02 AM MST to 2:07 AM MST
Where: Eddy County, 2 mi NE of Artesia
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 32.850, -104.376

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 3:37 PM MST to 3:42 PM MST
Where: Eddy County, 4 mi SE of Carlsbad
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 32.379, -104.181

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 4:52 PM MST to 4:57 PM MST
Where: Eddy County, 1 mi S of Artesia
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 32.816, -104.400

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 4:53 PM MST to 4:58 PM MST
Where: Eddy County, 4 mi S of Artesia
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.772, -104.400

Hail, Eddy

When: October 12, 4:58 PM MST to 5:03 PM MST
Where: Eddy County, Artesia
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.830, -104.400

Hail, Lea

When: October 12, 7:00 PM MST to 7:05 PM MST
Where: Lea County, 10 mi N of Lovington
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 33.075, -103.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Lea

When: October 12, 7:00 PM MST to 7:01 PM MST
Where: Lea County, 10 mi N of Lovington
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 33.075, -103.350

A thunderstorm moved across Lea County and produced an estimated 60 mph wind gust ten miles north of Lovington. The cost of damage is estimated to be zero since there was no damage reported.

Funnel Cloud, Lea

When: October 12, 8:06 PM MST to 8:10 PM MST
Where: Lea County, 3 mi E of Mc Donald
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 33.130, -103.268

A thunderstorm moved over Lea County and produced a funnel cloud about three miles east of McDonald.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Mexico in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in New Mexico, October 2012

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 413404, 412880, 413312, 413313, 413403, 413314, 413405, 413315, 413316, 413317.