A potent storm system that rapidly strengthened just west of the Four Corners on November 15th produced strong winds and widespread precipitation across the area through the 17th, including 1 to 3 feet of snow for the central and northern mountains and parts of northeastern New Mexico. Blizzard conditions developed for several hours between Raton and Clayton early on the 17th forcing the closure…
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 potent storm system that rapidly strengthened just west of the Four Corners on November 15th produced strong winds and widespread precipitation across the area through the 17th, including 1 to 3 feet of snow for the central and northern mountains and parts of northeastern New Mexico. Blizzard conditions developed for several hours between Raton and Clayton early on the 17th forcing the closure of I-25 between Las Vegas and Raton Pass. Treacherous travel conditions were also reported across other areas of the northeast including U.S. 64/87 between Raton and Clayton, where snow drifts between 2 and 3 feet were reported. This was the first significant snowfall event of this winter season for lower elevation areas from Taos to Espanola, Santa Fe, and the east mountain communities. Numerous school closures and delays were noted across the state on the 16th and the 17th.
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 Nov 15, 10:49 PM MST, 3 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1049 PM MST SUN NOV 15 2015 .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE A MIXED-BAG OF VFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA AND FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH ADDITIONAL WAVES OF PRECIPITATION AND A CHANGE OVER TO SNOW EXPECTED AT KFMN...KGUP...KSAF AND KLVS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERE...WITH STRONG WINDS FORECAST AT KLVS...KTCC AND KROW WHERE GUSTS TO 40-45KTS WILL BE COMMON BOTH AHEAD OF AND BEHIND A COLD FRONT. HIGHER GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50KTS LIKELY NEAR THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...1005 PM MST SUN NOV 15 2015... .UPDATE... UPDATED FORECAST TO ADD SANTA FE METRO ZONE TO WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. 00Z GFS CAME IN JUICIER ACROSS NRN NM INCLUDING SANTA FE METRO AREA FOR MONDAY. ALSO UPGRADED WINTER STORM WATCH TO A WARNING FOR RATON/BARTLETT/JOHNSON MESAS ZONE INCLUDING RATON PASS. EXCEPTIONAL RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY FROM ECMWF MODEL CONTINUES TO SHOW SIGNIFICANT WRAP AROUND SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THIS PORTION OF THE STATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY FORENOON. NO FURTHER UPDATES ANTICIPATED. 33 && .PREV DISCUSSION...308 PM MST SUN NOV 15 2015... .SYNOPSIS... LEADING SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVED NW OF MODEL TRACKS WITH RAIN NOW MOVING INTO NC AND NE NM. HIGHEST MOUNTAIN PEAKS COULD GET SOME WET SNOW LATE THIS PM AND EVENING. MUCH BIGGER STORM WILL START TO IMPACT NW NM TONIGHT WITH RAIN AND SNOW DEVELOPING. STORM REACHES THE FOUR CORNERS AREA MONDAY WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT BLASTING ACROSS THE STATE. RAIN WILL MIX WITH SNOW AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH MOSTLY SNOW IN THE W AND N MOUNTAINS. STRONG WINDS MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THE NC AND NE. STORM WINDS DOWN TUESDAY WITH DRY AND CHILLY CONDITIONS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. && .DISCUSSION... NICE AREA OF LIGHT RAIN MOVING ONTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NE LATE THIS PM. HIGHEST PEAKS MAY ACTUALLY GET SOME WET SNOW. A FEW SHOWERS DEVELOPING S OF THIS AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. ALL EYES THEN TURN TO THE UPSTREAM STORM DEEPENING ALONG THE W COAST. A CLOSED LOW WILL FORM TONIGHT NEAR LAS VEGAS NV AND DEEPEN AS IT MOVES EAST ALONG THE AZ AND UT BORDER MONDAY AND CO AND NM BORDER MONDAY NIGHT. EXPLOSIVE DEEPENING WILL TAKE PLACE OVER W OR SW KS TUESDAY. MEANWHILE A STRONG SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL RACE ACROSS THE STATE MONDAY WITH A SECONDARY FRONT MONDAY NIGHT. ALL THIS MEANS RAIN...SNOW...STRONG WINDS AND COLDER TEMPERATURES FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE WORK WEEK. WILL BE ISSUING WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR W AND N ZONES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NE FOR LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES WILL ALSO BE ISSUED. WHILE MODELS ARE CLOSE ON THE TRACK OF THE STORM...JUST A 25 TO 50 MILE DIFFERENT TRACK WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SNOW AMOUNTS IN THE NE. WORST CASE SCENARIO IS EXTENSIVE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW IN THE FAR NE WITH NEAR WHITE OUT CONDITIONS FOR A TIME MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE WILD AND WOOLY WEATHER WILL CALM DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY LEAVING COLD AIR BEHIND. THE REST OF THE WEEK WILL BE DRY BUT CHILLY WITH NEAR TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL KEEP THE EAST ESPECIALLY CHILLY ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER BACK DOOR FRONT WILL IMPACT THE E FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY WITH LOW CHANCE POPS OVER THE NC AND NE NEXT WEEKEND. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... MODELS DID NOT DEPICT TODAYS RAIN EVENT WELL...AND MOST OF THE RAIN WAS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL NM...WITH PRECIP AMOUNTS BETWEEN A TENTH AND HALF AN INCH COMMON. THIS BATCH OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE THRU EARLY EVE BEFORE DISSIPATING...AND HIGH ELEVATIONS LOCATIONS MAY PICK UP AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW. STARTING EARLY TOMORROW AND CONTINUING THROUGH TUESDAY...THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT WILL BE IMPACTED BY A BLUSTERY...STRONGER...AND MUCH COLDER SYSTEM. PRECIP WILL BEGIN ACROSS THE NORTHWEST LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE TO SPREAD EASTWARD EARLY MONDAY MORNING...PERHAPS REACHING THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY BY THE NOON HOUR. AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...PRECIP SHOULD BEGIN AS RAIN...BUT WILL RAPIDLY CHANGE TO SNOW AS A VERY STRONG COLD FRONT BLASTS FROM WEST TO EAST. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...WHILE MODEST ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NM. WIND MAY BE THE MORE SIGNIFICANT PLAYER FOR MUCH OF THE STATE ON MONDAY. WINDS WILL QUICKLY RAMP UP MONDAY MORNING FROM THE SOUTHWEST...THEN WILL VEER AROUND TO THE WEST AS THE FRONT SWEEPS FROM WEST TO EAST. WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH ARE LIKELY...WITH THE STRONGEST GUSTS LIKELY ARRIVING WITH THE COLD FRONT. MODELS CONTINUE TO SCOOT THE SYSTEM QUICKLY EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN NM ON MONDAY AND SOME WRAP-AROUND PRECIP LOOKS TO IMPACT NE NM ON TUESDAY ALONG WITH SOME GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE FELT ELSEWHERE...STRONGEST ACROSS ACROSS HIGH PEAKS AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. ANY PRECIP ACROSS THE NORTHEAST SHOULD LARGELY DIMINISH BY MID AFTN TUESDAY. REST OF WEEK CONTINUES TO LOOK PRETTY QUIET AND DRY WITH A WARMING TREND WED-FRI. THE NEXT CHANCE OF PRECIP LOOKS TO BE PERHAPS LATE NEXT WEEKEND OR EARLY THE FOLLOWING WEEK...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTH OR NE. VENT RATES CLIMB CONSIDERABLY ON MONDAY DUE TO THE HIGHER WINDS. GOOD OR BETTER RATES ARE EXPECTED FOR TUESDAY. ON WEDNESDAY...FAIR TO GOOD VENT RATES ARE EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS..THOUGH PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL VALLEYS AND FAR WESTERN NM MAY STAY IN THE POOR RANGE. MAINLY POOR RATES ARE EXPECTED THURS AND FRI. 34 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 7 PM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ521>524-533>539. WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM TO 5 PM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ527>532. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ517-518. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST MONDAY NIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ501-502-504>508. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ503-510>516. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 PM MONDAY TO 11 AM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ527. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 8 AM TO 7 PM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ526-540. && 33
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 540 AM MST SUN NOV 15 2015 NMZ501>540-161300- 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 CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER-SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET-EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY- SANTA FE METRO AREA-MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/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- 540 AM MST SUN NOV 15 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAIN SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND BECOME MIXED WITH...OR CHANGE OVER TO SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO LATER TONIGHT...WHERE MAINLY MINOR ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW INCREASES FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. IN ADDITION...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TO BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND EASTWARD MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...AS WELL AS OVER NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MAY IMPACT TRAVEL OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND FAR NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO...INCLUDING INTERSTATE 25 AT RATON PASS. ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE TEXAS BORDER MONDAY. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT STORM REPORTS AND PHOTOS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR VIA TWITTER USING THE HASHTAG N M W X.
11 heavy snow, 3 blizzard, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
COOP and SNOTEL reports across the area indicated between 6 and 10 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow.
COOP and SNOTEL reports across the area indicated between 10 and 18 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow. Phone services were disrupted as well.
COOP site reported 4 inches of snow around Dulce. Hazardous travel conditions were reported.
Various sources across the area indicated between 8 and 12 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow.
Public sources and ski sites across the area reported between 12 and 18 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow.
Public sources and ski sites across the area reported between 10 and 29 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow.
Various sources across the area reported between 6 and 15 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions in blowing snow.
Various sources reported between 5 and 10 inches of snow across the Taos area. This is one of the heaviest 24-hour snowfall accumulations for the Taos area and the greatest since 2009. Significant impacts to travel were noted.
Various reports across the area indicated between 3 and 9 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions. This was the first significant snowfall event for this winter season.
Various reports across the area indicated between 4 and 8 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions. This was the first significant snowfall event for this winter season.
Various reports across the area indicated between 4 and 6 inches of snowfall with hazardous travel conditions. This was the first significant snowfall event for this winter season.
Interstate 25 closed from Las Vegas to Raton Pass due to blizzard conditions. Snowfall accumulations averaged 8 to 12 inches. High winds produced significantly reduced visibility and drifts between 2 and 3 feet. Severe driving conditions were also reported east of Raton to Folsom.
Interstate 25 closed from Las Vegas to Raton Pass due to blizzard conditions. Snowfall accumulations averaged 3 to 8 inches. Wind gusts as high as 64 mph at Raton airport produced drifts between 2 and 3 feet in Raton. Some snow piles ended up over 6 feet high in town.
Severe driving conditions with blizzard conditions reported from Raton east to Clayton. Snowfall accumulations averaged 3 to 12 inches with locally up to 15 inches along the Colorado border. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph around Union County produced drifts between 2 and 3 feet along and east of Des Moines.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, November 2015
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: 602657, 602658, 602656, 602659, 602660, 602661, 602662, 602655, 602666, 602667, 602668, 602682, 602652, 602653, 602654.