A slow-moving upper level low pressure system over the eastern Pacific forced an exceptional moisture tap northeastward into the desert southwest. Atmospheric water content within this rich atmosphere broke daily and monthly records for December in both New Mexico and Arizona.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 slow-moving upper level low pressure system over the eastern Pacific forced an exceptional moisture tap northeastward into the desert southwest. Atmospheric water content within this rich atmosphere broke daily and monthly records for December in both New Mexico and Arizona. Heavy rainfall impacted the Gila Wilderness where upwards of 2 to 3 inches of rain fell. Significant river rises occurred and many low water crossings were flooded below the Mogollon Mountains. A group of hikers were stranded near the Gila River until rescuers lifted them to safety. Meanwhile, the combination of warm, moist air overriding a shallow, cold airmass over eastern New Mexico resulted in a rare freezing rain and sleet event from the east slopes of the central mountain chain onto the high plains. Temperatures in the mid to upper 20's created difficult travel conditions along Interstates 40 and 25 north and east of Albuquerque, with treacherous travel reported on side streets and rural highways in the high plains. Temperatures were cold enough to support heavy snow in the northern mountains above 9000 feet where 6 to 12 inches fell. Localized higher amounts near 20 inches were reported in the highest terrain of Taos County.
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 Dec 22, 3:33 AM MST, 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...CORRECTED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 333 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A very wet Pacific storm will move into the region today and across New Mexico tonight, with widespread precipitation forecast. Significant snowfall accumulation is likely across the higher terrain of the northern and west central mountains. At lower elevations, mostly rain is forecast, although a mix of sleet and freezing rain is possible across eastern portions of the area this morning into early this afternoon. Winds will increase Saturday in advance of a much colder system, forecast to move over on Christmas Day. Chances for snow will increase late Saturday into early Sunday, with our White Christmas probabilities trending up. Below normal temperatures are forecast Christmas Day into Monday, but temperatures will rebound going into mid week and generally be at or above normal by Wednesday. && .DISCUSSION... The Pacific Low is currently lifting northeast and just offshore of San Diego. An impressive tap of subtropical moisture is resulting in record PWATs across the region and widespread precipitation. Snow levels are high, but a shallow layer of below freezing temperatures east of the Central Mountain Chain is making for a challenging precipitation-type forecast. Fairly rapid modification of this shallow layer is anticipated, but not before some freezing rain and/or sleet occurs thanks to wet-bulbing. The ongoing winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are on track, but will add the Upper Rio Grande Valley and Western Sangres zones as an advisory for accumulating snow. Snow levels will lower overnight as the upper low opens-up and moves overhead. The more significant snowfall totals are still forecast across the Tusas Mountains, where amounts will approach 20 inches. However, forecast amounts have come down some for the Sangres and West Central Mountain due to a shift in modeled qpf and may have a hard time reaching warning criteria. The polar jet stream will dive south offshore of California on Saturday and carve-out a very cold and potent trough, forecast to push east across New Mexico on Christmas Day. Winds will trend up on Christmas Eve ahead of the trough and associated cold front, but precipitation will hold-off until after sundown for most of the area. A band of precipitation is forecast to move east across the area late Christmas Eve into Christmas Day, with any rain at the lower elevations quickly changing over to snow. White Christmas probabilities are still looking well above normal for much of the area. The 00z GFS MOS PoPs trended down slightly for KABQ for this event, but the 00z ECMWF MOS PoPs have trended up to above 60 percent. Snow amounts for the Albuquerque Metro look to be 1-2 inches with a relatively quick-hitting band. A much colder airmass will move in behind the front, with the 00z models showing -11 to -12C at 700mb by Sunday morning. Below normal temperatures will continue through Monday, but a warming trend will take daytime temperatures back to or slightly above normal by Wedesday. Another upper level low will cutoff offshore of southern California early week and may impact New Mexico toward the later half of next week. 11 && .FIRE WEATHER... Upper level low near San Diego along with copious subtropical moisture resulting in widespread precipitation across the area this morning. A relatively weak backdoor cold front has moved west into the Rio Grande Valley and up to the continental divide. The moisture and lift associated with the upper low will combine with the backdoor cold front to keep widespread precipitation going across much of the area today and tonight. Wetting precipitation (tenth of an inch or greater) is highly likely for nearly all of the forecast area. Snow levels will continue to be rather high with the subtropical nature of the system. Some cooler air across the eastern plains will likely to lead to sleet or a brief period of freezing rain this morning. Snow levels then drop to btwn 6000-7500 across the northwest half of the state tonight as the main upper low/trough moves through. A brief break between storms systems remains on track for Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. The next, much colder, upper level trough to impact the area is expected to result in strong south and southwest winds most areas Saturday. Models agree that a vigorous cold front will plow through western NM Christmas Eve night and through the remainder of the area Christmas morning. Snow and blowing snow will accompany the frontal passage as it moves through western and central areas, with significant snowfall possible in the western and northern mountains. Strong west winds will result in downsloping east of the central mountain chain. Much colder air will move in behind the front Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. A slow warming trend is expected to get underway early next week. Ventilation rates will remain poor areawide through Friday before improving somewhat during the Christmas weekend. 33 && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE Nothing has really changed. Issued AWW for strong east wind at ABQ. Frontal push from the east on cue. Quite a dichotomy of precipitation types still expected from west to east across the forecast area. More rain than frozen west...mix of rain and frozen central and east. Mtn top obscd a certainty most of the 24 hr period. Tried to capture the trends in precip types but the other aviation hazards will be low cigs and vis restrictions. Many diff categories expected as the event unfolds. 50 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 41 33 46 28 / 80 70 30 10 Dulce........................... 39 31 42 23 / 90 80 60 10 Cuba............................ 37 31 41 26 / 90 80 50 5 Gallup.......................... 46 31 46 26 / 90 70 30 5 El Morro........................ 42 30 44 23 / 100 80 30 5 Grants.......................... 40 30 47 22 / 90 70 20 5 Quemado......................... 48 32 47 29 / 90 60 10 0 Glenwood........................ 53 36 53 34 / 100 70 10 0 Chama........................... 35 28 34 19 / 100 80 60 10 Los Alamos...................... 34 31 41 27 / 100 80 30 5 Pecos........................... 33 31 40 27 / 90 80 20 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 35 27 39 16 / 80 80 30 5 Red River....................... 32 25 32 18 / 90 80 50 5 Angel Fire...................... 33 26 35 14 / 90 80 40 5 Taos............................ 36 28 40 15 / 80 70 30 5 Mora............................ 34 29 43 23 / 80 70 20 0 Espanola........................ 38 32 45 26 / 80 70 20 0 Santa Fe........................ 35 33 44 27 / 90 80 20 5 Santa Fe Airport................ 35 31 46 25 / 90 80 20 5 Albuquerque Foothills........... 39 35 50 33 / 90 80 10 5 Albuquerque Heights............. 38 36 52 32 / 90 70 10 5 Albuquerque Valley.............. 39 34 53 28 / 90 70 10 5 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 39 35 51 32 / 90 70 10 5 Los Lunas....................... 41 34 54 28 / 90 60 10 5 Rio Rancho...................... 39 34 50 31 / 90 70 10 5 Socorro......................... 45 37 56 34 / 90 60 10 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 34 32 41 29 / 100 80 20 5 Tijeras......................... 36 33 43 28 / 90 80 20 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 34 31 46 24 / 90 60 10 0 Clines Corners.................. 31 30 43 26 / 90 70 10 0 Gran Quivira.................... 38 35 48 32 / 90 70 10 0 Carrizozo....................... 45 38 52 33 / 80 60 10 0 Ruidoso......................... 41 33 51 33 / 100 80 20 0 Capulin......................... 33 28 47 25 / 60 30 10 0 Raton........................... 33 30 49 19 / 60 30 10 0 Springer........................ 32 29 49 20 / 60 30 10 0 Las Vegas....................... 33 29 48 25 / 80 60 10 0 Clayton......................... 32 31 53 26 / 70 20 10 0 Roy............................. 33 28 50 21 / 60 30 10 0 Conchas......................... 35 32 52 30 / 70 30 10 0 Santa Rosa...................... 35 32 53 32 / 70 30 10 0 Tucumcari....................... 36 33 59 31 / 60 40 10 0 Clovis.......................... 37 31 55 31 / 70 50 10 0 Portales........................ 39 32 56 32 / 70 50 10 0 Fort Sumner..................... 37 31 55 32 / 70 40 10 0 Roswell......................... 41 33 59 30 / 70 50 10 0 Picacho......................... 40 33 56 32 / 80 60 10 0 Elk............................. 42 34 54 33 / 80 70 10 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ521>524-526-528>534-537-539-540. Winter Storm Warning until noon MST Friday for the following zones... NMZ510-511-513-514. && 11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 506 PM MST WED DEC 21 2016 NMZ501>540-221300- 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- 506 PM MST WED DEC 21 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT LOWER ELEVATION RAIN AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW OVER THE WEST ALTHOUGH ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT INITIALLY. ELSEWHERE...A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW COULD DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE AND UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A MIX OF SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND EASTERN PLAINS THURSDAY...WHILE RAIN SPREADS OVER MOST OF THE WEST AND SOUTH BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AN INVASION OF COLDER AIR FROM THE WEST THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO ACCUMULATING SNOW FOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. ANOTHER BUT MUCH COLDER STORM SYSTEM CHRISTMAS EVE THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO THE WEST AND NORTH AS WELL AS STRONG WINDS OVERALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS AND IMPACTS 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 NMWX.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow, 1 heavy rain, 1 winter weather, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Reports around eastern Rio Arriba County indicated between 2 and 8 inches of new snow fell with amounts as high as 11 inches in the high terrain.
Observers reported between 4 and 19 inches of snowfall across the high terrain of Taos County.
Various observers, automated gages, and broadcast media indicated heavy rainfall with significant impacts around southwest Catron County. Rainfall amounts averaged 2 to 3 inches in the Mogollon Mountains and Gila River watershed. Low water crossings near the Catwalk were flooded and closed. A group of hikers were stranded by the Gila River and lifted to safety by rescue teams. No injuries, fatalities, or significant damages occurred.
Observer east of Sandia Park reported rare ice accumulations and treacherous travel conditions from freezing rain.
Observers around Taos and reported between 3 and 6 inches of wet snow and sleet accumulations. Travel was difficult along U.S. 285.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2016
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: 664061, 664064, 664066, 664068, 664069.