Isolated thunderstorms that developed along the east slopes of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains early in the afternoon on the 21st pushed eastward and strengthened over the high plains. One storm near Moriarty was able to produce a landspout tornado for about 10 minutes to the north of Interstate 40.
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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.
Isolated thunderstorms that developed along the east slopes of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains early in the afternoon on the 21st pushed eastward and strengthened over the high plains. One storm near Moriarty was able to produce a landspout tornado for about 10 minutes to the north of Interstate 40. Another storm around Pastura produced quarter size hail. No damage was reported with these storms.
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 Jun 21, 10:31 AM MST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1131 AM MDT SAT JUN 21 2014 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE ALREADY FORMING ACROSS THE NORTHERN MTNS. EXPECT ADDITIONAL STORMS TO FORM ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE CENTRAL MT CHAIN...SIMILARLY TO YDAY. HOWEVER...STORMS SHOULD GENERALLY MOVE A LITTLE FASTER TO THE EAST TODAY AS COMPARED TO YDAY...BUT LOCALLY LOW VSBYS IN HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL REMAIN POSSIBLE. KLVS SEEMS TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE AT BEING IMPACTED BY PRECIP TODAY...BUT HI-RES MODELS SHOWING THAT KTCC MAY BE IMPACTED LATE THIS AFTN OR EVE...SO HAVE ADDED A VCTS THERE. OTHERWISE...A FEW BUILDUPS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MTNS AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...WITH VIRGA AND GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. ANOTHER ROUND OF MVFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A KTCC TO KROW LINE AFTER 07Z AND CONTINUING THROUGH 15Z SUN. 34 && .PREV DISCUSSION...343 AM MDT SAT JUN 21 2014... .SYNOPSIS... SIMILAR DAY TO FRIDAY IN THE WORKS FOR TODAY WITH CONVECTION KICKING UP IN MOST OF THE SAME LOCALES. WHILE THERE MAY BE A VERY SLIM CHANCE OF A STRAY DRY SHOWER OR STORM A BIT FATHER WEST THAN WAS THE CASE FRIDAY...IT IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH AT THIS TIME TO WORK INTO THE GRIDS. SUNDAY SHOULD SEE FAR NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND PERHAPS THE EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTHEAST BORDER COUNTIES A LITTLE MORE FAVORED THAN TODAY. FAIRLY STRONG BACK DOOR COLD LIKELY TO MOVE THROUGH THE PLAINS AND PERHAPS EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY. COOLER TEMPERATURES... INCREASED MOISTURE...AND UPSLOPE FLOW SHOULD RESULT IN MORE CONVECTION EAST MONDAY AND TUESDAY. WHILE THE EAST WILL SEE STORMS THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...THE WEST SHOULD REMAIN LARGELY DRY...THOUGH ONE MODEL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES STORM CHANCES FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST SECTIONS EAST OF THE DIVIDE. && .DISCUSSION... LOW LVL MOISTURE DID INCREASE SOMEWHAT ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND EVEN JUST A BIT WESTWARD OVERNIGHT...BUT STILL LOOKS LIKE MUCH IF NOT ALL OF THAT WILL MIX OUT WEST OF CENTRAL MTN CHAIN LATER TODAY. SO STORMS LATER TODAY LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN...SIMILAR TO FRIDAY. WEAK STEERING FLOW WILL AGAIN RESULT IN SLOW MOVING STORMS BRINGING LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME MINOR FLOODING. LATER SUNDAY...A FAIRLY WEAK TROUGH WILL BE APPROACHING NM FROM THE WEST. WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT PICKING UP SOMEWHAT AHEAD OF IT OVER NM WILL DRY OUT THE AIR FURTHER...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WEST HALF TO TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA. THT WILL PUSH THE FAVORED THUNDERSTORM AREA FARTHER EAST TO SOME DEGREE...THOUGH A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT EDGING INTO OR VERY NEAR THE NE PLAINS MAY PERK THINGS UP THERE AT LEAST A BIT MORE LATER IN THE DAY. DRYLINE LIKELY TO SHARPEN UP SOME ACROSS THE FAR EAST CENTRAL PLAINS...SO THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME STRONGER NEAR TO EAST OF DRYLINE ALSO ON SUN DUE TO THE VERY DRY NATURE OF THE AIRMASS MOVING IN FROM THE WEST...EVEN DRY THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE TROUBLE DEVELOPING THERE. MODELS SHOW A STRONGER COLD FRONT MOVING DOWN THE PLAINS SUN NIGHT AND EARLY MON. THIS WILL REPLENISH THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE EAST AND IT MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR GAP WINDS IN THE RGV MONDAY MORNING. THIS MOISTURE PUSH WILL SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE EAST BOTH MONDAY AFTN/EVE AND TUESDAY AFTN/EVE. BUT MUCH LIKE OTHER DAYS...MOISTURE ACROSS THE WEST WILL LIKELY MIX OUT. THE NAM IS GOING WITH A MORE AGGRESSIVE WESTWARD SURGE IN THE FRONT AND THUS MOISTURE PENETRATION...TO AT LEAST THE DIVIDE...AND REALLY RAMPING UP CONVECTION MON AFTN AND EVE NEAR AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AND BETWEEN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND THE DIVIDE. STOPPED WAY SHORT OF GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD IN THE GRIDS WITH THIS SCENARIO...BUT IT BEARS WATCHING. BEYOND TUESDAY...ESPECIALLY AFTER THU...LITTLE CONFIDENCE EXISTS IN THE MODELS PORTRAYAL OF THE UPPER AIR PATTERN. STILL IT LOOKS LIKE THE WEST WILL REMAIN DRIER AND THE EAST WILL BE WETTER...THOUGH THE ECMWF IS UNSEASONABLY STRONG AND WET WITH A TROUGH PASSAGE ACROSS THE STATE. 43 && .FIRE WEATHER... A TALE OF TWO HALVES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. ESSENTIALLY DRY WEST OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND MOIST EAST OF THESE SAME MOUNTAINS. A WEAK TO DRY MODERATE WIND FLOW PERMEATES THE WEST WHILE TO A MOISTURE LADEN SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST FLOW PREVAILS. ALTHOUGH MIN RH VALUES ARE EXPECTED IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS ACROSS THE WEST SURFACE WINDS REMAIN BELOW CRITICAL FIRE THRESHOLDS. THIS DRY WEST TO MOIST EAST PATTERN PERSISTS THROUGH MONDAY WHEN A BACKDOOR FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST THEN SOUTHWEST TOWARDS RIO GRANDE VALLEY PUSHING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PAST THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS WESTWARD TOWARD THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. HOWEVER...BY WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK A DRY WESTERLY FLOW AGAIN DOMINATES ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA...MIXING OUT THE MOISTURE ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. THIS DRY PATTERN THEN CONTINUES THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY OF NEXT WEEK. WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED PATTERN...VENT RATES AND MIXING HEIGHTS ARE EXCELLENT ACROSS THE WEST THROUGH MONDAY WHILE FAIR TO POOR ACROSS THE EAST. VENT RATES AND MIXING HEIGHTS ARE MUTED ACROSS MOST AREAS ON TUESDAY WITH THE BACKDOOR COLD FRONT IN PLAY. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THESE VALUES REBOUND ACROSS THE REGION AS THE DRY WESTERLIES INCREASE PARCEL MIXING. THROUGH THE NEXT WEEK...OVERNIGHT RH RECOVERIES ARE GENERALLY GOOD TO EXCELLENT ACROSS THE EAST WHILE PERSISTING POOR TO FAIR ACROSS THE WEST. NO CRITICAL FIRE VALUES EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT WEEK. HIGHEST HAINES VALUES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WEST THROUGH MONDAY THEN TREND UPWARD WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NEXT WEEK ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA WITH SOME SUPER HAINES VALUES DEVELOPING OVER THE CHUSKA AND GILA MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY NEXT WEEK. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 601 AM MDT SAT JUN 21 2014 NMZ501>540-221200- 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- 601 AM MDT SAT JUN 21 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...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER... ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY EAST FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BETWEEN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT ROUGHLY THIS SAME AREA COULD SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH OR EVEN REACH SEVERE LEVELS WITH STRONGER WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY LARGER HAIL. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 43
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1250 PM MDT SAT JUN 21 2014
NMZ511-518-211915-
JEMEZ MOUNTAINS-SANTA FE METRO AREA-
1250 PM MDT SAT JUN 21 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN SANTA FE...EXTREME
EASTERN SANDOVAL AND SOUTHEASTERN LOS ALAMOS COUNTIES THROUGH 115 PM
MDT...
AT 1247 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT...OR ABOUT 6
MILES SOUTH OF LOS ALAMOS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
AREAS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...FRIJOLES...BANDELIER NATIONAL
MONUMENT...WHITE ROCK AND BUCKMAN RIVER WHITE ROCK CANYON.
&&
LAT...LON 3586 10624 3583 10623 3583 10617 3576 10598
3558 10614 3581 10635 3587 10627
TIME...MOT...LOC 1849Z 304DEG 13KT 3580 10627The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:27 UTC.
1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Landspout tornado just north of Interstate 40 near Moriarty on the ground for approximately 10 minutes. No damage reported.
State police reported quarter size hail on Highway 219 south of Interstate 40.
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 historyThe tornado archive for New Mexico, 2014Warnings in New Mexico, June 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: 513817, 513821.