A powerful upper level storm system and attendant Pacific cold frontal boundary raced across New Mexico during the afternoon of the 26th. This front delivered a potent blast of strong southwest to west winds, colder temperatures, and blowing dust to just about the entire state.
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 powerful upper level storm system and attendant Pacific cold frontal boundary raced across New Mexico during the afternoon of the 26th. This front delivered a potent blast of strong southwest to west winds, colder temperatures, and blowing dust to just about the entire state. Snow even impacted the northern high terrain where generally 3 to 6 inches was reported. The strongest winds occurred along and just behind the cold frontal boundary where numerous locations reported peak speeds around 60 to 65 mph. Blowing dust reduced visibilities in many areas of eastern New Mexico below 3 miles for several hours. Fortunately no significant damage was reported with this event.
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 Apr 26, 4:59 AM MST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 559 AM MDT SAT APR 26 2014 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE WINDS ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN TODAY AND A LEE SIDE SURFACE TROUGH WILL DEEPEN WHILE A PACIFIC COLD FRONT BLASTS ACROSS THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN A STRONG TO DAMAGING WIND EVENT. SW SURFACE WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN THIS MORNING THEN PEAK IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS NEAR THE PASSAGE OF THE PACIFIC COLD FRONT. GUSTS WILL GENERALLY VARY FROM 35 TO 48 KT DURING THE AFTN AND EVENING...EXCEPT FOR GUSTS OF 60 TO 65 KT ALONG AND JUST E OF THE CENTRAL AND S CENTRAL MTS. THE COLD FRONT WILL USHER SHRA...TSRA AND MT SN THROUGH WESTERN AND NORTHERN AREAS...AS WELL AS A W AND NW WIND SHIFT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ERRATIC WIND GUSTS OVER 50 KT DUE TO STRONG WINDS ALOFT. BLOWING DUST SHOULD IMPACT MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH MVFR AND EVEN IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO VISIBILITY AND/OR CEILING RESTRICTIONS...MAINLY AT LOWER ELEVATIONS E OF THE CONTDVD. ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS...HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE SHOULD ALSO RESULT IN SOME MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS WITH MT OBSCURATIONS. STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS RETURN ON SUNDAY...FAVORING THE EAST. && .PREV DISCUSSION...315 AM MDT SAT APR 26 2014... .SYNOPSIS... A VERY DYNAMIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT THIS WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND...AND MAY PERSIST INTO MONDAY AS WELL. GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE LIKELY FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN...THOUGH CAN NOT FULLY BE RULED OUT ANYWHERE. THE WINDS WILL BRING BOUTS OF BLOWING DUST...WHICH MAY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. ADDITIONALLY...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PLOW FROM WEST TO EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING USHERING IN COLDER TEMPERATURES AND A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION. LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. ANOTHER WEAKER STORM SYSTEM MAY IMPACT THE STATE MID TO LATE WEEK...WHICH WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES BELOW NORMAL THROUGH FRIDAY. && .DISCUSSION... STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS...BLOWING DUST AND A TURN TO COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL BE THE RULE THIS WEEKEND. HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE WIND HIGHLIGHTS. FIRST...HAVE UPGRADED MUCH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS FROM A WIND ADVISORY TO A HIGH WIND WARNING AND HAVE EXTENDED THIS WARNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING NO WIND HIGHLIGHTS DURING TONIGHTS OVERNIGHT PERIOD WHEN THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY COME WITH THE FRONT AFTER 03Z ACROSS THE PLAINS AND MOUNTAIN TOP LEVEL WINDS WILL EXCEED 50KT OVERNIGHT KEEPING IT QUITE WINDY ACROSS THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN. SURE...SOME AREAS MAY COME DOWN BELOW CRITERIA OVERNIGHT...BUT THEY WILL QUICKLY RAMP BACK UP SUNDAY MORNING...AND STRETCHING THE HIGHLIGHTS THRU THE WEEKEND KEEPS IT SIMPLE. HAVE ALSO EXPANDED THE WIND ADVISORY TO INCLUDE THE REST OF THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL AREAS. THUS...ALL AREAS TODAY WILL BE UNDER SOME SORT OF A WIND HIGHLIGHT. THESE WESTERN AREAS SHOULD HAVE MORE OF A BREAK FROM THE WINDS TONIGHT THAN THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN EASTWARD...BUT WIND ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AGAIN SUNDAY AFTN. IN ADDITION TO THE WIND HIGHLIGHTS...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. HAVE ADDED THESE AREAS INTO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT...BASICALLY SANDWICHED IN TIME BETWEEN WIND HIGHLIGHTS. ADVISORY TYPE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL FAVOR WEST SLOPE AREAS ABOVE 8000 FEET...BUT SNOW LEVELS WILL ACTUALLY DROP WELL BELOW THAT AND EVEN TAOS COULD SEE AN INCH OR TWO. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF SUNDAY NIGHT MORESO THAN TONIGHT...BUT THAT WILL ALSO ALLOW TEMPS TO DROP AS WELL. COULD SEE SOME FREEZING TEMPERATURES ALONG THE I-25 CORRIDOR ACROSS THE NORTHEAST...THE ESTANCIA VALLEY AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...AND EVEN THE SANTA FE METRO AS WELL AS THE HIGH TERRAIN. WINDS WILL AGAIN BE A CONCERN MONDAY AFTERNOON...WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF WIDESPREAD WIND ADVISORIES ANTICIPATED...AND PERHAPS A FEW HIGH WIND WARNINGS AS WELL. AFTER WIND DECREASE MONDAY NIGHT...SIMILAR AREAS COULD FREEZE AGAIN. BY TUESDAY...WINDS WILL DECREASE TO OCCASIONAL BREEZES...EXCEPT ACROSS THE NE WHERE WINDY CONDITIONS WILL EXIST BEHIND A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT...THOUGH SPEEDS WONT BE TO THE CALIBER OF THIS WEEKEND. NONETHELESS...COULD SEE SOME BLDU AROUND KCAO DUE TO THE DUST SOURCE REGION IN SE CO. GFS AND EC ARE STILL AT ODDS REGARDING ENERGY SLIDING DOWN IN THE NEAR MERIDIONAL FLOW DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. EC CONTINUES TO BRING A STRONGER TROUGH/LOW OVER NM WHILE THE GFS REMAINS JUST A GLANCING BLOW TO THE NE. THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT ON TUESDAY WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE SOUTH AND WEST...PERHAPS THRU THE GAPS OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN. THOUGH THERE WILL BE A LITTLE EXTRA MOISTURE THANKS TO THE FRONT...THE EC IS QUITE BULLISH AT BREAKING OUT PRECIP AREAWIDE. CANADIAN APPEARS TO BE A HAPPY MEDIUM BETWEEN THE TWO OTHER MODELS...AT LEAST WITH REGARDS TO THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN...THOUGH IS LIKELY TOO BULLISH ON PRECIP AS WELL. THIS WILL BE THE NEXT THING TO FOCUS ON AFTER THE WEEKEND/EARLY WEEK WINDS. OTHERWISE...TEMPS WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL THRU NEXT FRIDAY. 34 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MAINLY EASTERN NEW MEXICO TODAY. STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS AND TURNING COLDER THIS WEEKEND... RED FLAG WARNING FOR THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND ALL OF THE EASTERN ZONES FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH MID EVENING. CRITICAL CONDITIONS WILL END IN THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY BY 6 PM DUE TO THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT AND HIGHER RH VALUES. OTHERWISE BECOMING WINDY ALL ZONES TODAY WITH STRONG TO POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ZONES. THE ABOVE MENTIONED COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE STATE TODAY...BRINGING MUCH COOLER AIR AND SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST AND NORTH. FAR EASTERN AREAS WILL REMAIN QUITE WARM. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AS COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO POUR IN. MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS WILL FALL IN THE NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN AND UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. WINDS WILL DIMINISH SOME TONIGHT BUT REMAIN STRONG OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ONTO THE EASTERN PLAINS. STRONG TO DAMAGING WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL RETURN TO NEARLY ALL AREAS SUNDAY. STRONGEST WINDS FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ONTO THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS. WHILE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE REACHED IN THE SAME AREAS AS TODAY...THE BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND MOSTLY LOW HAINES VALUES SHOULD DIMINISH THE THREAT FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. WILL NOT ISSUE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH OR RED FLAG WARNING. ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS INTO SUNDAY EVENING. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE MONDAY BUT LESSEN TUESDAY AND BEYOND. NORTHWEST FLOW NEXT WEEK WILL KEEP THE AREA COOL WITH TEMPERATURES MOSTLY BELOW NORMAL UNTIL LATE NEXT WEEK. A FEW REINFORCING SHOTS OF CHILLY AIR WILL BE NOTED BEHIND BACK DOOR COLD FRONTS INTO THE EAST. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL GRADUALLY TRY TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST NEXT WEEKEND. CHJ && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ521>526-529>537-539-540. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-106>108. WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501>520-538. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ510>516. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ512>515-527-528. WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ527-528. && 40
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 553 AM MDT SAT APR 26 2014 NMZ501>540-271200- 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- 553 AM MDT SAT APR 26 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. THESE STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO POWER LINES...TREES AND POORLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. CONSIDERABLE BLOWING DUST IS LIKELY. THE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH LOW HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE WIDESPREAD CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG AND EAST OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AS WELL. STRONG WINDS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGH TERRAIN AND EASTERN PLAINS. ADDITIONALLY...MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE LIKELY TONIGHT ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW MAY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY ON SUNDAY ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO WHERE GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. STRONG WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO MONDAY ACROSS MANY CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS. BLOWING DUST MAY REDUCE VISIBILITY EACH DAY. FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT FROM RATON...TO LAS VEGAS...TO ESTANCIA AND CLINES CORNERS AS WELL AS ACROSS THE SANTA FE METRO AREA AND ESPANOLA. A HARD FREEZE IS POSSIBLE FOR THESE SAME AREAS AS WELL AS THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU MONDAY NIGHT. 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...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH...AND ANY WILDFIRES THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 34
22 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A CWOP station in Quemado recorded sustained winds in the mid to upper 30's and a peak gust up to 58 mph during the afternoon hours.
A CWOP station recorded a peak gust to 62 mph.
A Mesonet site located northeast of Carrizozo recorded sustained winds in the lower to mid 40's with a peak gust up to 63 mph during the afternoon hours.
The Sierra Blanca AWOS recorded sustained wind speeds from 40-45 mph with gusts up to 64 mph during the afternoon hours.
The Dunken RAWS recorded a high sustained wind speed to 41 mph with gusts in the low to mid 50's during the afternoon hours.
The Oscura Range Camp Mesonet at White Sands Missile Range recorded sustained wind speeds in the low 40's with gusts into the mid 50's.
A trained spotter reported a peak wind gust to 58 mph with some Virga in the area.
The CSBF Transwestern Pump recorded a peak gust to 59 mph.
Based off the graph produced by the Magdalena Ridge Observatory a peak gust to 110 mph was recorded.
The Fort Sumner Airport recorded a peak gust to 64 mph.
The Belen AWOS recorded a high sustained wind speed up to 43 mph with gusts in the low 50's.
Twitter report from KOB 4 meteorologist relaying public report that high winds had knocked down a dead tree that hit a passing van. Winds speeds estimated sustained 40 gusting to low 60's.
The Harry Mesonet at White Sands Missile Range recorded sustained wind speeds ranging from 40 - 44 mph with gusts up to 60 mph during the afternoon hours.
The Sulf Mesonet at White Sands Missile Range recorded sustained wind speeds ranging from 40 - 42 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
The Pole 616 Mesonet at White Sands Missile Range recorded sustained wind speeds in the low 40's with a peak gust to 61 mph.
The Clines Corners ASOS recorded sustained speeds in the low 40's with a peak gust to 62 mph.
The Las Vegas ASOS recorded a peak gust to 66 mph.
The Los Alamos AWOS recorded a peak gust to 59 mph.
Local news station reporting tree downed by high winds in the parking lot at Alameda and Coors.
Local news media station reported on a cinder block wall at a church that got knocked over during the high wind event. The Albuquerque ASOS recorded sustained wind speeds ranging from 40 - 44 mph with a peak gust to 58 mph during this time.
Media reported large concrete wall toppled at church near Iliff and Artrisco. Time and damage estimated.
The Tucumcari ASOS recorded a peak gust to 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2014
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: 503933, 504036, 504008, 504009, 504011, 504016, 504017, 504026, 504047, 504048, 504031, 504013, 504015, 504018, 504029, 504041, 504043, 504045, 504038, 504040, 504545, 504049.