A slow moving upper level storm system sliding southeast out of the Great Basin interacted with a potent back door cold front sliding south down the Front Range to produce widespread heavy snowfall, strong to damaging winds, and blizzard to near blizzard conditions for much of eastern New Mexico. S.
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 slow moving upper level storm system sliding southeast out of the Great Basin interacted with a potent back door cold front sliding south down the Front Range to produce widespread heavy snowfall, strong to damaging winds, and blizzard to near blizzard conditions for much of eastern New Mexico. Widespread major impacts to travel developed across the eastern plains where nearly every U.S. and state highway as well as Interstates 25 and 40 were closed for several hours to even days. Snow and blowing snow produced drifts as high as 5 feet along the TX state line.
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 24, 4:50 AM MST, 6 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 450 AM MST SUN FEB 24 2013 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS WILL PROGRESSIVELY SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS NEW MEXICO INTO THE AFTERNOON AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE STATE. SOME SNOW BANDS AND SHOWERS WILL STRETCH FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN MOUNTAINS TO THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE LATE MORNING WITH ONLY SPOTTY MVFR CONDITIONS AND INCREASING MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS. WINDS WILL STEADILY INCREASE IN SPEED IN MANY AREAS TOWARD THE AFTERNOON WITH MANY LOCATIONS OBSERVING GUSTS OF 25 TO 35 KT. AS THE SURFACE FRONT PLUNGES INTO NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO LATE THIS AFTERNOON...EXPECT ABRUPT SURGE OF WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 40 AND 45 KT TO SPREAD SOUTHWARD DOWN THE PLAINS INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SNOW WILL ALSO SPREAD EASTWARD INTO THE PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT WITH VERY POOR VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL PLAGUE A LARGE SWATH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NM TONIGHT. 52 && .PREV DISCUSSION...341 AM MST SUN FEB 24 2013... DYNAMIC STORM SYSTEM BEARING-DOWN ON NEW MEXICO WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT WIND AND SNOW IMPACTS TODAY INTO MONDAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. AT 00Z...THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WAS OVER UT/NV AND BEGINNING TO CLOSE-OFF A LOW. 00Z UPPER AIR OBSERVATIONS SHOWED -34C OVER SALT LAKE CITY AND -35C OVER ELKO AT 500MB. THIS IS A COLD SYSTEM TO SAY THE LEAST AND IF THESE TEMPS MAKE IT DOWN INTO NM...AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WILL...THIS WILL BE THE COLDEST SYSTEM OF THE SEASON SO FAR FOR OUR AREA. THE KABQ 00Z SOUNDING SHOWED A PWAT OF ONLY 0.18 INCH...WHICH IS ROUGHLY 70% OF NORMAL. HOWEVER...THE 00Z MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW THE PWAT INCREASING TO NEAR 0.30 INCH AT KABQ BY 18Z AND EVEN FURTHER ACROSS THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS...TO OVER 0.40 INCH SUNDAY NIGHT. SO...MOISTURE WON'T BE A PROBLEM LIKE IT WAS WITH THE COLD SYSTEM ON THE 11TH/12TH OF THIS MONTH. THE 00Z MODELS ALL AGREE ON A DECENT ROUND OF SNOW ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING. SNOW IS ALREADY FLYING BACK OVER ARIZONA AND SOME ENHANCEMENT CAN BE SEEN ACROSS EASTERN ARIZONA APPROACHING OUR AREA AS THE UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO SINK SSE. DECIDED TO INCLUDE THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS IN A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...WITH SNOWFALL OF 3-5 INCHES EXPECTED (MORE OVER THE PEAKS). OTHERWISE...THE CURRENT SET OF ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS LOOK TO BE ON TRACK. SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PLAINS TONIGHT AS A WEAK TROWAL TAKES SHAPE WITH THE UPPER LOW MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. THE TROWAL REALLY GETS GOING OVER TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA MONDAY AND THIS WINTER SYSTEM WILL DEFINITELY BE A NEWS- MAKER. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS AS THE UPPER LOW GRADUALLY PULLS EAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...EXCEPT FOR OVER SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY WHERE A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE IN WITH THIS SYSTEM...WITH HIGHS GENERALLY 15-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL TODAY AND MONDAY. BELOW TO WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES LOOK TO PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEK WITH A COUPLE WAVES MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND DELIVERING REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR. TUESDAY'S SYSTEM WILL MOVE SE OVER COLORADO AND FAR NORTHERN NEW MEXICO...BRINGING WIND IMPACTS TO MUCH OF OUR AREA AND SNOWS TO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. AN END TO THE WAVE-TRAIN IS IN SIGHT WITH BOTH THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF SHOWING A LARGE RIDGE PUMPING-UP ACROSS THE ROCKIES OVER THE WEEKEND. LOOK FOR A GRADUAL TREND TOWARD NORMAL TEMPERATURES NEXT WEEKEND WITH PLENTY OF SUN. 11 .FIRE WEATHER... UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PLAGUE NEW MEXICO THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS A PROGRESSIVE STREAM OF DISTURBANCES MOVES OVER AND NEAR THE STATE. TODAY'S DISTURBANCE IS TURNING INTO MORE OF A FULL-FLEDGED STORM SYSTEM WITH A SLOWER PACE ON A TRACK MUCH FARTHER TO THE SOUTH. IN FACT THE MODELS...IN PARTICULAR THE NAM...DRASTICALLY FLIPPED THE FORECASTED POSITION OF THE UPPER LOW FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL INDUCE A BETTER COVERAGE OF SNOW OVER THE CENTRAL TO EAST CENTRAL PARTS OF THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST AREA. SNOW WILL IMPACT THE WEST CENTRAL ZONES AND TO A LESSER EXTENT THE NORTHWESTERN PLATEAU...BUT COVERAGE WILL INCREASE FARTHER EAST NEAR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND INTO THE PLAINS. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL USHER IN MUCH COOLER AIR AS THE FRONT CONTINUES TO INVADE. WINDS WILL BE NORTHERLY BEHIND THE SEGMENT OF THE FRONT THAT SPILLS DOWN THE PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. THESE WINDS WILL BE STRONGER WITH SOME GUSTS TO 55 MPH SPREADING SOUTH THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...LEADING TO NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE SNOWFALL. GUSTY POST FRONTAL NORTHWEST WINDS WILL IMPACT MUCH OF CENTRAL TO WESTERN NM ON MONDAY WITH THE STRONGER NORTH WINDS TAKING MOST OF THE DAY TO RELAX BELOW 25 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED SPEEDS. SUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES AND EXPECTED SNOW PACK WILL PRECLUDE ANY FIRE WX CONCERNS THOUGH. VENTILATION WILL BE EXCELLENT IN MOST AREAS MONDAY. THE NEXT DISTURBANCE WILL ARRIVE LATE TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT...BEING MORE OF A CLIPPER THAT WILL JUST SKIM THE NORTH CENTRAL TO NORTHEASTERN ZONES. CONSEQUENTLY LESS PRECIPITATION WILL ACCOMPANY THIS DISTURBANCE...BUT THE BREEZY TO WINDY WEST/NORTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN WIDESPREAD OVER THE FORECAST AREA. GOOD VENTILATION CAN BE EXPECTED WITH TEMPERATURES STAYING SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AND TOO COOL TO SUPPORT ANY CRITICAL HUMIDITY OR FIRE WX. WINDS WILL RETAIN THEIR NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION ON WEDNESDAY...BUT SPEEDS WILL NOT BE AS HIGH. TEMPERATURES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER MUCH THOUGH...AND THE NEXT DISTURBANCE ALOFT WILL BE RIGHT ON ITS HEELS FOR THURSDAY. THIS THURSDAY SYSTEM IS SHOWN TO BE STARVED OF MOISTURE FOR ANY NOTABLE PRECIPITATION. RIDGING INTO THE WEEKEND WILL FINALLY LET TEMPERATURES CREEP BACK TO NEAR AVERAGE. 52 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ523-527>539. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ508-510>516. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ517-518-521-522-524-526. WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ540. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 510 AM MST SUN FEB 24 2013 NMZ501>540-251300- 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- 510 AM MST SUN FEB 24 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM WILL BRING SNOW AND WIND IMPACTS TO MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE GREATEST IMPACTS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE RATON RIDGE AND THE NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS WHERE NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW. MAJOR IMPACTS TO TRAVEL ARE EXPECTED ALONG INTERSTATE 25 BETWEEN THE COLORADO LINE AND GLORIETA PASS...AND MORE SO ALONG INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN CLINES CORNERS AND THE TEXAS BORDER. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...INCLUDING THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL EXIT INTO TEXAS ON MONDAY...BUT SNOW AND WIND IMPACTS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. WINTER STORM WARNINGS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS COLORADO AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO LATE TUESDAY AND BRING STRONG WINDS TO MUCH OF THE AREA...AND SNOWS TO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS. WIND ADVISORIES MAY BECOME NECESSARY ON TUESDAY. 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. 11
8 heavy snow, 5 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts of 2-5 inches were reported across the zone. Along with the snow there were recorded sustained wind speeds in the mid 50's with gusts nearing 70 mph. Side roads leading from Clayton to Raton were closed during this storm by NM DOT due to hazardous driving conditions.
Snowfall amounts of 3-6 inches were reported across the zone.
Snowfall amounts of 2-5 inches were reported across the zone. There were also some road closures in the area due to hazardous driving conditions in snow and blowing snow per NM DOT.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 4-8 inches were reported from co-op observers across the county. Wind gusts in the 40's were reported. NM DOT closed the main interstate that runs through this county as well as several side roads in the area due to the hazardous blizzard conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 3-10 inches were reported from co-op observers across the county. Sustained wind speeds in the mid forties along with gusts into the fifties were recorded in the county as well. NM DOT closed the main interstate that runs through this county as well as several side roads in the area due to the hazardous blizzard conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 5-12 inches were reported from co-op observers across the county with drifts measuring over one foot. Gusts into the fifties were recorded. NM DOT closed the main interstate that runs through this county as well as several side roads in the area due to the hazardous blizzard conditions. There was also a report of a power outage due to storm (Twitter) but can not be confirmed. Local news media reported 2 days after the event that an 81 year old man had died after he slipped on ice and hit his head while shoveling his driveway after the storm.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 3-6 inches were reported from co-op observers across the county. Wind gusts into the fifties were recorded. Some thunder and lightning was reported in this system from observers. NM DOT closed the main interstate that runs through this county as well as several side roads in the area due to the hazardous blizzard conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 3-5 inches were reported from co-op observers across the county. Wind gusts nearing 70 mph were recorded. NM DOT closed several side roads in the area due to the hazardous blizzard conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 4-9 inches were reported across the zone. NM DOT also closed down I-40 eastbound through this area due to hazardous driving conditions in snow and blowing snow.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 3-6 inches were reported across the zone. NM DOT also closed down I-40 eastbound through this area due to hazardous driving conditions in snow and blowing snow.
Snowfall amounts ranging from 3-6 inches were reported across the zone. Several roads were closed across the area due to hazardous driving conditions.
Snowfall amounts of 2-4 inches were reported across the zone. Wind speeds sustained in the 30's with gusts into the 50's were also observed with this system. There were also some road closures in the area due to hazardous driving conditions in snow and blowing snow per NM DOT.
Snowfall amounts of 3-5 inches were reported across the zone. Sustained wind speeds nearing 40 mph sustained and gusts into the 50's were recorded in this zone. There were also some road closures across the northern part of the area due to hazardous driving conditions in snow and blowing snow per NM DOT.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blizzard, Curry County | 2013-02-26 | 81 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 2013
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: 427810, 427811, 427813, 427796, 427798, 427801, 427802, 427803, 427806, 427807, 427808, 427814, 427815.