Damaging Wind and High Wind in New Mexico, October 10, 2013

Name: Damaging Wind and High Wind in New Mexico, October 10, 2013
Start: 2013-10-10T10:00
End: 2013-10-10T16:30
Location: New Mexico

October 10, 2013 · NWS ABQ · 16 events in 14 counties and zones

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: $49,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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 ABQ wrote it up.

A potent upper level disturbance and associated cold front combined with an intense area of surface low pressure over southeast Colorado to produce widespread, strong winds areawide. Sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts between 55 and 65 mph were common. The high peaks and ridges of central and southwest NM experienced wind gusts up to 85 mph. Winds blew from the south and southwest initially before they switched to the west-northwest in wake of a cold front that progressed eastward during the day. The strongest winds were observed a few hours before and immediately following the frontal passage that occurred near sunrise along the AZ/NM line and toward sunset along the NM/TX line. Mostly light amounts of snow accompanied the frontal system across the very high terrain of northern New Mexico, including up to 3 inches in Chama.

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 Albuquerque, NM wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 9, 2:15 PM MST, 19 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 9, 2:15 PM MST, 19 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
315 PM MDT WED OCT 9 2013

.DISCUSSION...
A DYNAMIC WEATHER IMPACT PERIOD WILL UNFOLD OVER THE REGION TONIGHT
THRU FRIDAY WITH THE MAIN FOCUS FROM MID MORNING TO MID EVENING ON
THURSDAY. A VERY IMPRESSIVE -4 STD DEV 547DM H5 LOW PUSHING SLOWLY
SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL FILL TO 558DM OVER THE 4
CORNERS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AMDAR OBSERVATIONS FROM AROUND PHOENIX
SHOW A 600-400MB WIND MAX OF 50-70KTS ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE UPPER
LOW. THESE WINDS WILL BECOME FOCUSED OVER NM LATE TONIGHT INTO THE
AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY...LEADING TO A WIDESPREAD WINDY DAY. GIVEN
PLACEMENT AND MAX STRENGTH OF SPEED MAX HAVE GREATEST CONFIDENCE TO
UPGRADE HIGH WIND WATCH TO WARNING FOR THE SANGRES EAST OVER THE
NE HIGHLANDS...THE SANDIAS...AND SACRAMENTO MTS. WIND ADVISORIES
WILL BE IN PLACE FOR MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA EXCEPT THE
NW CORNER AND THE SE PLAINS.

ABOVE CLIMO PWAT VALUES AND STRONG UPPER DIVERGENCE ASSCD WITH THIS
SYSTEM WILL ALLOW FOR DECENT QPF VALUES OVER SW FACING SLOPES OF THE
NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN AHEAD OF AND JUST BEHIND THE FRONT. WPC QPF
VALUES ARE ON THE ORDER OF 0.25-0.50 INCHES HOWEVER MOST OF THIS
WILL OCCUR IN THE WARM SECTOR FOR OUR REGION. STRONG COLD ADVECTION
BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LEAD TO SOME WESTERLY UPSLOPE SNOWS HOWEVER
ACCUMS WILL BE RELEGATED TO AREAS ABOVE 9000 FT. 1 TO 4 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN AREAS EAST OF CHAMA...THE JEMEZ MTS OVER REDONDO
PEAK...ABOVE TAOS SKI VALLEY...AND AROUND PECOS BALDY. WILL NOT
ISSUE ANY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS MINIMAL COVERAGE. TEMPS WILL MAKE
THEIR IMPACT AS WELL WITH READINGS 15 TO 20F COLDER THURSDAY FOR
THE NW CORNER...AND POTENTIAL HIGHS IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON OVER
CENTRAL NM.

SKIES WILL CLEAR INTO FRIDAY FOR MOST AREAS WITH MAX TEMPS 5 TO 10F
BLW NORMAL UNDER BREEZY WEST NORTHWEST FLOW. MIN TEMPS ARE NOT AS
COLD BEHIND THIS SYSTEM AS PREVIOUS WITH MORE ZONAL FLOW KICKING IN
QUICKLY BY SATURDAY MORNING. CONDITIONS WILL BE NICE ONCE AGAIN
FOR MOST OF THE REGION THRU SUNDAY. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE FAR
EASTERN AND SE PLAINS SUNDAY WHERE STRENGTHENING RETURN FLOW
INCREASES MOIST ADVECTION AS A STRONG HIGH BUILDS OVER THE WESTERN
GULF. INCREASED POPS INTO THE SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY AND PLACED
MOSTLY CLOUDY IN GRIDS. MODELS ARE NOT CONSISTENT REGARDING THE
NEXT UPPER WAVE THAT MAY SLIDE SE SOMEWHERE OVER THE FOUR CORNERS/
COLORADO MONDAY.

GUYER

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING ACROSS
PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO. AN INTENSIFYING LEE SIDE TROUGH IN
COLORADO IS HELPING INCREASE WIND SPEEDS ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS
AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES SLOWLY DIP TO THRESHOLD LEVELS WITH
DAYTIME HEATING. ELSEWHERE...THE ENCROACHMENT OF THE NEXT STORM
SYSTEM IS CREATING INCREASED WIND SPEEDS AND CLOUD COVERAGE ACROSS
CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO. PRECIPITATION IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE
FAR NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...THOUGH AMOUNTS WILL BE
LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH.

THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL PUSH ACROSS NORTHERN/CENTRAL NEW MEXICO
THURSDAY AND BRING A WEST TO EAST SWEEPING COLD FRONT. MOISTURE WILL
INCREASE AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION
ACROSS NORTHWEST THIRD OF NEW MEXICO AND EVEN SOME MOUNTAIN TOP SNOW.
A STRONG MID LEVEL JET SOUTH OF THE CENTER OF THE STORM SYSTEM WILL
PUSH ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NM THROUGH THE DAY
THURSDAY.  AS A RESULT...WINDS WILL BE WINDY TO VERY WINDY FOR MUCH
OF THE FORECAST AREA...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.
GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH IS POSSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE HIGHER
TERRAIN ALONG THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. DESPITE THE STRONGER
WINDS...NO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
AS THE COMBO OF COOLER TEMPERATURES AND SLIGHT INCREASE OF MOISTURE
WILL KEEP RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS. DAYTIME HIGHS
WILL RANGE BETWEEN 10 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. VENT RATES WILL
REMAIN EXCELLENT THROUGH THURSDAY DUE TO HIGH TRANSPORT WINDS. OVERNIGHT
RECOVERIES WILL BE GOOD TO EXCELLENT WEST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
AND FAIR TO THE EAST.

A FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE I40
CORRIDOR FROM SANTA ROSA EAST TO THE NM/TX STATE LINE FRIDAY. A
RESIDUAL LOBE OF ENERGY WILL HELP KEEP BREEZY WINDS ALONG AND EAST
OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. COMBINED WITH LOWER RH VALUES...THIS
WILL CREATE LOCALIZED RED FLAG CONDITIONS. CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR
MORE WIDESPREAD IMPACTS AS RECENT MODEL GUIDANCE TREND WINDS DOWN
AND RH VALUES UP...RESULTING IN MORE BORDERLINE CONDITIONS. VENT
RATES WILL TREND DOWN ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NM AS WINDS
DECREASE AND MIXING HEIGHTS LOWER. HOWEVER...VENT RATES WILL REMAIN
GOOD FROM FARMINGTON SOUTHEAST TO ALBUQUERQUE AND ACROSS MUCH OF
NORTHERN AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO WARM
ACROSS FAR WESTERN NM...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO COOL ACROSS CENTRAL AND
EASTERN NM AS THE COLDER AIR SETTLES IN. DAYTIME RH VALUES WILL
TREND DOWN AS DRIER AIR BEHIND THE COLD FRONT MOVE IN. OVERNIGHT RH
RECOVERIES WILL BE FAIR TO GOOD FOR MOST OF THE STATE WITH EXCELLENT
VALUES IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN IN NORTHWEST NM.

THIS WEEKEND WILL BE A TRANSITION PERIOD FROM THE LAST STORM SYSTEM
TO THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM. A SLIGHT RIDGE WILL DEVELOP SATURDAY
BEFORE MORE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT DEVELOPS SUNDAY. DRIER AIR AND
LIGHTER WINDS WILL BE THE GENERAL RULE BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THE
ONLY EXCEPTION WILL BE AN INCREASE OF MOISTURE AND POTENTIAL FOR
SHOWERS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. MODELS ONLY RECENTLY BEGAN
BRINGING THIS MOISTURE SURGE FOR SUNDAY...SO CONFIDENCE IN THIS
FEATURE IS LOW. TEMPERATURES WARM TO NEAR NORMAL VALUES THROUGH
SUNDAY WHILE RH VALUES WILL CHANGE VERY LITTLE EACH DAY. A SLIGHT
REDUCTION OF MIXING HEIGHTS AND VENT RATES SATURDAY WILL BE
COUNTERED BY A SLIGHT INCREASE OF MIXING HEIGHTS AND VENT RATES
SUNDAY.

MODELS STILL DEPICT THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM TO DEVELOP OVER THE GREAT
BASIN LATE SUNDAY AND BEGIN IMPACTING THE STATE MONDAY. CURRENT
TRENDS DEPICT THE CENTER OF THE STORM TO BE WELL TO THE
NORTH...LEAVING DRIER AIR AND STRONGER WINDS FOR MUCH OF NEW MEXICO.
A BACKDOOR FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS
LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY MORNING AS THE CENTER OF THIS SYSTEM EJECTS
EAST. SOME PRECIPITATION BEHIND THIS FRONT IS POSSIBLE...BUT NO
MODEL CONSENSUS ON THIS FEATURE. MODELS REALLY DIVERGE TUESDAY AND
BEYOND...WITH THE ECMWF DEPICTING A SECOND STORM DEVELOPING IN THE
WAKE OF THE MONDAY STORM AND PUSHING ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.  THE GFS REALLY GOES AGAINST THIS BY HAVING A RIDGE AND
MORE STABLE CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE MONDAY STORM.
SO LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST FOR THIS PERIOD AND BEYOND.

24

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF CYCLE
VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS AT TERMINAL SITES.
THE COMBO OF INCREASED WINDS ALOFT AND DEVELOPING LEE SIDE TROUGH
WILL CREATE GUSTY CONDITIONS DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE
STATE...WITH GUSTS UP TO 35KTS POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN NM. SOME
SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT OVER FAR NW NM AS STORM SYSTEM
APPROACHES...THOUGH LOW CONFIDENCE IN SHOWERS IMPACTING KFMN.
PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL INCREASE THROUGH THURSDAY WITH VCSH IN
THE LATE MORNING FOR KFMN. OBSCURATION OF MOUNTAIN TOPS IS
POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AS STORM SYSTEM MOVES CLOSER TO STATE.

24

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FARMINGTON......................  48  55  33  58 /  20  60   0   0
DULCE...........................  41  52  23  56 /  30  70  10   0
CUBA............................  43  55  25  58 /   5  50   5   0
GALLUP..........................  44  52  24  59 /  10  60   0   0
EL MORRO........................  41  52  22  56 /  10  40   0   0
GRANTS..........................  42  57  22  59 /   0  30   0   0
QUEMADO.........................  44  55  27  60 /  10  30   0   0
GLENWOOD........................  45  59  31  66 /   5  10   0   0
CHAMA...........................  37  49  23  50 /  40  80  20   0
LOS ALAMOS......................  47  59  32  56 /   5  50   5   0
PECOS...........................  45  62  32  56 /   0  30   0   0
CERRO/QUESTA....................  40  57  24  58 /   5  60  10   0
RED RIVER.......................  37  53  23  48 /   5  80  30   5
ANGEL FIRE......................  37  58  20  53 /   5  60  20   5
TAOS............................  40  60  24  58 /   0  60   5   0
MORA............................  42  61  32  58 /   0  40   5   0
ESPANOLA........................  45  64  30  63 /   0  30   0   0
SANTA FE........................  48  61  29  57 /   0  30   0   0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................  47  64  31  61 /   0  30   0   0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS...........  50  65  37  62 /   0  20   0   0
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS.............  53  67  40  64 /   0  10   0   0
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY..............  51  68  35  65 /   0  10   0   0
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA...........  52  66  36  67 /   0  20   0   0
LOS LUNAS.......................  51  69  34  65 /   0  10   0   0
RIO RANCHO......................  52  66  36  66 /   0  20   0   0
SOCORRO.........................  51  71  38  71 /   0   5   0   0
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST.........  48  64  36  62 /   5  30   0   0
TIJERAS.........................  50  65  36  62 /   0  20   0   0
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA...............  43  66  31  60 /   0  10   0   0
CLINES CORNERS..................  47  64  33  59 /   0  10   0   0
GRAN QUIVIRA....................  48  68  37  61 /   0   5   0   0
CARRIZOZO.......................  53  68  38  65 /   0   5   0   0
RUIDOSO.........................  50  65  47  63 /   0   5   0   0
CAPULIN.........................  45  68  32  66 /   0  20   5   0
RATON...........................  42  71  35  67 /   0  20   0   0
SPRINGER........................  44  74  37  67 /   0  10   0   0
LAS VEGAS.......................  45  67  33  61 /   0  20   0   0
CLAYTON.........................  48  77  46  70 /   0  10   0   0
ROY.............................  50  72  40  66 /   0   5   0   0
CONCHAS.........................  52  80  41  72 /   0   5   0   0
SANTA ROSA......................  50  79  44  71 /   0   5   0   0
TUCUMCARI.......................  55  82  43  75 /   0   5   5   0
CLOVIS..........................  52  83  47  73 /   0  10  10   0
PORTALES........................  54  83  45  75 /   0  10  10   0
FORT SUMNER.....................  53  81  43  73 /   0   5   5   0
ROSWELL.........................  54  86  47  79 /   0   5   5   0
PICACHO.........................  50  79  42  72 /   0   5   0   0
ELK.............................  49  74  49  67 /   0   5   0   0

&&

.ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES...NMZ502-505>508-510-511-516>520-522>525-530>534-539-540.

HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ512>515-521-526>529.

&&

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 188 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 high wind, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Sandia/Manzano Mountains

When: October 10, 10:00 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Sandia/Manzano Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gust measured at the top of Sandia Peak Tramway.

High Wind, Southwest Mountains

When: October 10, 10:30 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Southwest Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public

A large sign/billboard at a local restaurant in Pietown was downed by high winds and damaged.

High Wind, Lower Rio Grande Valley

When: October 10, 11:04 AM MST to 12:04 PM MST
Where: Lower Rio Grande Valley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gust measured at the WSMR Stallion Runway mesonet.

High Wind, West Central Highlands

When: October 10, 11:20 AM MST to 12:30 PM MST
Where: West Central Highlands forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $48,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Ten to 12 rail cars were toppled near an underpass on Interstate 40 near Mesita. A westbound semi-tractor trailer was also blown over at the same location.

High Wind, Southwest Mountains

When: October 10, 11:30 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Southwest Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gust measured at the Magdalena Ridge Observatory.

High Wind, Albuquerque Metro Area

When: October 10, 11:35 AM MST to 12:50 PM MST
Where: Albuquerque Metro Area forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

Peak wind gust measured at the Albuquerque Sunport.

High Wind, South Central Mountains

When: October 10, 11:35 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: South Central Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

Peak wind gust measured at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport.

High Wind, Estancia Valley

When: October 10, 12:04 PM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Estancia Valley forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Peak wind gust measured near Stanley.

High Wind, Jemez Mountains

When: October 10, 12:08 PM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Jemez Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

Peak wind gust measured at the Tower RAWS.

High Wind, Santa Fe Metro Area

When: October 10, 12:30 PM MST to 1:50 PM MST
Where: Santa Fe Metro Area forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

Peak wind gust measured at the Santa Fe Airport.

High Wind, Upper Tularosa Valley

When: October 10, 12:45 PM MST to 1:45 PM MST
Where: Upper Tularosa Valley forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gust measured at the WSMR Phillips Hill mesonet.

High Wind, Albuquerque Metro Area

When: October 10, 1:21 PM MST to 1:25 PM MST
Where: Albuquerque Metro Area forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public

A large tree was uprooted and moderate-sized tree branches were snapped at Altura Park in southeast Albuquerque.

High Wind, Southwest Chaves County

When: October 10, 1:36 PM MST to 2:50 PM MST
Where: Southwest Chaves County forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

Peak wind gust measured at the Dunken RAWS.

High Wind, Central Highlands

When: October 10, 2:41 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Central Highlands forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

Peak wind gust measured at the Clines Corners ASOS.

High Wind, Union County

When: October 10, 3:41 PM MST to 3:55 PM MST
Where: Union County forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

High southerly wind gust ahead of cold frontal band and severe thunderstorms approaching from the west.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: October 10, 4:07 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Union County, 0.89 mi NE of (Cao)clayton Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 36.460, -103.140

Peak westerly wind gust associated with severe thunderstorm complex along cold frontal boundary measured at the Clayton Municipal Airport.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Mexico in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in New Mexico, October 2013

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: 474118, 474306, 474310, 474307, 474124, 474119, 474120, 474122, 474121, 474123, 474311, 474309, 474312, 474315, 474171, 474109.