A moisture rich and very strong jet stream moved into the western United States, nosing into northern and central New Mexico Wednesday night January 29, into Thursday January 30, 2014. Upper level winds ranging from 140-160 knots helped to mix strong winds down to the surface along and east of the central mountain chain.
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 moisture rich and very strong jet stream moved into the western United States, nosing into northern and central New Mexico Wednesday night January 29, into Thursday January 30, 2014. Upper level winds ranging from 140-160 knots helped to mix strong winds down to the surface along and east of the central mountain chain. The strongest winds initially impacted the higher ridges of the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains before spreading south and east. The focus for strong winds shifted to the south-central mountains and adjacent highlands into Friday, January 31. Severe wind speeds were recorded across the state during this two day span with the ASOS at Raton airport recording a gust to 83 mph during the early morning hours of the 30th.
Along with the severe wind the strong jet stream brought snow. As this deep fetch of Pacific moisture streamed across the state light rain and high terrain snow impacted northern border locations.
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 Jan 29, 10:40 PM MST, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 544 AM MST WED JAN 29 2014 NMZ501>540-301300- 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- 544 AM MST WED JAN 29 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY STRONG WEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. A MORE WIDESPREAD AREA OF WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH IS POSSIBLE SURROUNDING THIS AREA OF HIGH WINDS BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DRY CONDITIONS WITH THESE WINDS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AS WELL FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND MUCH OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST MAY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES ACROSS THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND EASTERN PLAINS THURSDAY AND ESPECIALLY FRIDAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN...PARTICULARLY OVER RIO ARRIBA COUNTY...THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. GUYER
8 high wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The ASOS located at Raton Crews Airport recorded gusts ranging from 69-83 mph during the early morning hours of January 30, 2013.
The Las Vegas ASOS recorded sustained wind speeds in the low forties with gusts ranging from 50 to 56 mph during the afternoon of January 30, 2014.
The CSBF Transwestern Pump 18 NNE of Encinoso recorded sustained wind speeds ranging from 33 to 40 mph with wind gusts ranging from 43 to 64 mph.
The Vaughn Mesonet recorded sustained wind speeds in the 40's with wind gusts ranging from 49 to 60 mph.
The Sierra Blanca AWOS recorded sustained wind speeds ranging from 35 to 40 mph with wind gusts ranging from 49 to 55 mph.
The Mesonet North Oscura Peak of White Sands Missile Range recorded a peak gust to 58 mph during the late afternoon hours of January 31, 2014.
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory was recording wind gust speeds above 58 mph for the majority of the evening of January 30, 2014.
SNOTEL and public reports indicated storm total accumulations around 10 inches. Generally light snowfall accumulations occurred through the majority of the event then a burst of very heavy snow toward the end of the event created winter storm conditions over much of the region.
SNOTEL and public reports indicated storm total accumulations between 2 and 8 inches. Generally light snowfall accumulations occurred through the majority of the event then a burst of very heavy snow toward the end of the event created winter storm conditions over much of the region before ending quickly.
Mountain top at Taos Ski Area recorded a peak wind gust to 61 mph. High wind gust speeds continued to be reported into the late evening hours of January 30, 2014.
CoCoRaHS and Law Enforcements reported between 2 and 4 inches of snow. Most areas reported mixes of rain and snow during the day on the 31st with a heavy burst of snow at the end of the event late on the 31st producing warning accumulations and impacts.
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, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 487184, 487186, 487191, 487190, 487189, 487188, 487187, 488140, 488147, 487185, 488143.