Strong westerly winds aloft combined with a deepening lee trough to produce widespread gusty surface winds over portions of the east slopes of the central mountain and the high plains. An aircraft ascending from Angel Fire airport was blown back to the ground by wind gusts up to 55 mph resulting in 4 fatalities.
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.
Strong westerly winds aloft combined with a deepening lee trough to produce widespread gusty surface winds over portions of the east slopes of the central mountain and the high plains. An aircraft ascending from Angel Fire airport was blown back to the ground by wind gusts up to 55 mph resulting in 4 fatalities. Elsewhere erratic wind gusts up to 60 mph impacted the area around Clines Corners.
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 Mar 3, 10:41 AM MST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1041 AM MST SUN MAR 3 2013 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE STRONGER WINDS WILL IMPACT MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TODAY. AREAS ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF BOTH THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN ARE EXPECTED TO OBSERVE THE STRONGEST GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 KT THIS AFTERNOON. GUSTS WILL BE STUBBORN TO RELAX IN THESE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS TONIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL ALSO SKIM ALONG THE NEW MEXICO/COLORADO BORDER TONIGHT AND INTO MONDAY WHERE SOME RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP. PRECIPITATION WILL MOSTLY BE ISOLATED AND SHOWERY WITH SOME MORE PERSISTENT SNOW IN THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS WHERE PEAKS WILL BE OBSCURED OVERNIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. ANY MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT THE FAR NORTHERN STRETCHES OF THE STATE AND PREDOMINANTLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. WINDS WILL ALSO RE- STRENGTHEN IN MANY REMAINING AREAS OF NM MONDAY. 52 && .PREV DISCUSSION...302 AM MST SUN MAR 3 2013... UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS BEGINNING TO FLATTEN THIS MORNING AS EVIDENT BY THE HIGH CLOUDINESS MOVING INTO THE STATE. DESPITE THE CLOUDS...TEMPERATURES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO SOAR 5 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW LOCALES MAY EVEN NEAR RECORD HIGHS. WESTERLY 700 MB FLOW WILL INCREASE BETWEEN 35 AND 45 KTS THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG MIXING AND A DEEPENING SURFACE LOW WILL CREATE WINDY SURFACE CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY JUST EAST OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN. WILL ISSUE A LOW END WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORMAL WINDY PLACES...KCQC/KLVS/ETC FOR THIS AFTERNOON. 700 MB FLOW LOOKS TO INCREASE THIS EVENING...AND AN ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL MTNS MAY BE NEEDED FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT REEVALUATE THIS. THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH AIMED FOR THE STATE TONIGHT...LOOKS TO BE A BIT SLOWER....AND THUS DOES NOT CROSS NORTHERN NM UNTIL MONDAY. HAVE BACKED OFF ON POPS FOR THE TONIGHT PERIOD...AND FOCUSED THEM MORE ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS STAND TO PICK UP AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...BUT GIVEN THE LIMITED MOISTURE AND QUICK HITTING SYSTEM...HARD TO BELIEVE MUCH MORE THAN THAT WOULD FALL. SOME OF THE BETTER PRECIP CHANCES WILL OCCUR MONDAY EVENING ACROSS THE NORTHEAST BEHIND A BACK DOOR FRONT. TEMPS WILL QUICKLY FALL MONDAY EVENING BEHIND THE FRONT...AND THUS MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS SNOW. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST...AND WITH NORTHERLY WINDS AT 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...SOME BLOWING SNOW IS LIKELY. QUIETER AND DRIER CONDITIONS RETURN TUESDAY UNDER A RIDGE. THE PACIFIC MOISTURE THAT WAS POISED TO BE ADVECTED INTO NM WEDNESDAY LOOKS INCREASINGLY PATHETIC. HAVE REMOVED POPS FROM THE NORTH AND WEST...AND WAS TEMPTED TO DO SO ON THURSDAY AS WELL. BIG STORM SYSTEM STILL LOOKS TO IMPACT THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT OVER THE WEEKEND. GFS AND EURO CONTINUE TO DIFFER ON THE PATH OF THE STORM...WHICH WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON WHICH LOCALES STAND THE BEST CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. STILL LOOKS LIKE A POTENTIALLY WIDESPREAD PRECIP EVENT. 34 .FIRE WEATHER... ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR PORTIONS OF THE EAST PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... UPPER LEVEL RIDGE HAS FLATTENED INTO A ZONAL FLOW AHEAD OF A SHORT WAVE TROUGH NEARING THE CALIFORNIA COAST. WINDS ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AND TONIGHT. MEANWHILE...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES WILL STRENGTHEN...COMBINING TO CREATE STRONG WEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON. MOUNTAIN TOP LEVEL WIND SPEEDS WILL NEAR 50 KNOTS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH THE WINDS DROPPING DOWN ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN ONTO THE EASTERN HIGH PLAINS. DOWNSLOPING EFFECTS WILL ACT TO DRY OUT AN ALREADY DRY AIRMASS...LEADING TO WIDESPREAD AND LONG LIVED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS FROM NOON THROUGH 8 PM MST THIS EVENING. SPOTTY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS OVER THE WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS BELOW SNOWPACK...SANDIA... MANZANO AND GALLINAS MOUNTAINS BELOW SNOWPACK...NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND NORTHEAST PLAINS. THE STRONG WEST WINDS AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL LEAD TO EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES OVER THE FORECAST AREA TODAY. STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT AND MONDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A TRAILING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH...BUT WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES AND INCREASING PACIFIC MOISTURE...NOT EXPECTING THE WIDESPREAD CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO RETURN TO THE EASTERN PLAINS. CRITICAL CONDITIONS WILL BE APPROACHED THOUGH FOR A FEW HOURS MONDAY AFTERNOON. VENTILATION RATES WILL REMAIN EXCELLENT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS IN FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TUESDAY RESULTING IN INCREASED STABILITY AND DECREASED MIXING...RESULTING IN POOR TO FAIR VENTILATION RATES FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. MID TO LATE WEEK...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT DEVELOPS AHEAD OF A POSSIBLE MAJOR LATE WINTER STORM SYSTEM FOR NEW MEXICO...INITIALLY IMPACTING THE STATE FRIDAY THEN CONTINUING INTO THE WEEKEND. STRENGTHENING SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL ACT TO INCREASE MIXING SUBSTANTIALLY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY... RESULTING IN GOOD TO EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES. THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS DEEP AND LARGE CLOSED UPPER LOW IS STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME AS MODELS DEVIATE SOME ON ITS PATH. BUT PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM MAY BE WIDESPREAD AND SIGNIFICANT. CHJ && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ108. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ523-529-533. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MST SUN MAR 3 2013 NMZ501>540-041300- ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS- CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-CURRY COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY- EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-ESTANCIA VALLEY-FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-GUADALUPE COUNTY-HARDING COUNTY- JEMEZ MOUNTAINS-LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-QUAY COUNTY- RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY- SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANTA FE METRO AREA- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-UNION COUNTY-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY-WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- 600 AM MST SUN MAR 3 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ACROSS THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO THREE HOURS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST...WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BELOW SIGNIFICANT SNOWPACK...AS WELL AS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND PLAINS. IN ADDITION...STRONG WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NORTHEAST PLAINS. STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PLAINS MAY RESULT IN BLOWING SNOW AND LOW VISIBILITIES. A SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM MAY IMPACT THE AREA NEXT WEEKEND. THOUGH THE EXACT PATH...TIMING AND IMPACTS REMAIN UNCERTAIN... PERSONS WITH OUTDOOR OR TRAVEL PLANS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 34
1 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gust to 54mph at the Angel Fire airport lead to an aircraft accident with 4 fatalities.
Clines Corners reported a peak wind gust to 60mph.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, East Slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains | 2013-03-03 | Other | Direct |
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, March 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: 427678, 427679.