Strong winds associated with a powerful upper level storm system combined with a strong area of surface low pressure across New Mexico to produce widespread high winds. The strongest winds impacted the higher terrain of central and western New Mexico on the 22nd then central and eastern New Mexico on the 23rd.
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.
Strong winds associated with a powerful upper level storm system combined with a strong area of surface low pressure across New Mexico to produce widespread high winds. The strongest winds impacted the higher terrain of central and western New Mexico on the 22nd then central and eastern New Mexico on the 23rd. Peak wind speeds ranged from 60 to 70 mph. Temperatures were well above normal with a few records highs broken. The combination of warm temperatures and very low humidity produced dangerous fire conditions and blowing dust across the state. The visibility was reduced to one-half mile at Farmington and around 2 miles at Gallup from blowing dust. A wildfire broke out near Pojoaque and another near Ruidoso. Fortunately these fires were quickly contained. Tumbleweeds were a problem across much of the state as well, particularly the Albuquerque west side where drifts over 5 feet caused lane closures on several streets. The most significant property damage occurred to a home in Los Alamos where a large pine tree was toppled.
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 Mar 22, 4:09 AM MST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 509 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE UPPER STORM SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT MOVG INTO GREAT BASIN AT 22/11Z TO RESULT IN RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING SW TO W WINDS ALOFT ACROSS NRN AND CNTRL NM. SUSTAINED SW TO W WINDS OF 25 TO 40KT WITH GUSTS NEAR 50 KTS ARE LIKELY FROM 22/17Z THROUGH 23/18Z...ALTHOUGH TRENDING MORE NWLY AFT 23/06Z. AREAS OF REDUCED VSBYS IN BLDU ARE LIKELY AND WILL RESULT IN OCCASIONAL TERRAIN OBSCURATIONS. SCT -SHRASN TO DEVELOP AFT 23/06Z MAINLY NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST. && .PREV DISCUSSION...335 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016... .SYNOPSIS... A VERY WINDY...WARM...AND DRY DAY WILL UNFOLD TODAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...WIDESPREAD BLOWING DUST...AND CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE CULPRIT FOR THESE ABOMINABLE CONDITIONS WILL BE AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE THAT WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT INTO NEW MEXICO TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE STRONG WINDS WILL PERSIST IN MANY AREAS OVERNIGHT...PARTICULARLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...AND ON WEDNESDAY THE GUSTS WILL MEET IF NOT EXCEED THOSE FROM TODAY IN SOME LOCATIONS. PRECIPITATION WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY OVER THE FAR NORTHERN TIER OF NEW MEXICO...BUT RAIN AND SNOW AMOUNTS WILL REMAIN LIGHT. WINDS WILL BE NOTABLY LESS ON THURSDAY...BUT STILL BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL RETURN TO THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT ON THURSDAY...INCREASING MORE INTO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .DISCUSSION... IT'S MARCH AND THE MADNESS IS UPON US...NOT ONLY IN THE SPORTS WORLD...BUT ALSO THE WEATHER FOR TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WHILE NOT UNHEARD OF THIS TIME OF YEAR...TODAY'S WINDS WILL CERTAINLY FALL IN THE TOP PERCENTILES FOR STRENGTH. THE UPPER LOW IS CURRENTLY MAKING LANDFALL ON THE WA/OR COAST...AND IT SHOULD SWING INTO THE GREAT BASIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH A STOUT JET STREAK ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE FEATURE. FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A DEEP SURFACE LOW TO THE LEE OF THE MOUNTAINS...BOASTING A 990 MB CENTRAL PRESSURE. THE STIFF SURFACE GRADIENT OF ABOUT 18 MB FROM THE BOOTHEEL TO THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF NM AND THE WIDESPREAD 45-55 KT FLOW JUXTAPOSED AT 700 MB WILL WORK IN SYNC WITH EFFICIENT AND DEEP BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING TO YIELD VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL TODAY...EVEN TOWARD RECORD HIGHS IN EASTERN NM. THIS WILL HELP BOOST MIXING HEIGHTS AND ULTIMATELY EASE THE TRANSPORT OF STRONGER WINDS ALOFT TO THE SURFACE. HAVE OPTED TO UPGRADE THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A WARNING...AND WIND ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED FOR ALL REMAINING ZONES WITHIN THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME PLACES MIGHT OCCASIONALLY OBSERVE REDUCTIONS IN WIND SPEED BELOW THE WARNING/ADVISORY CRITERIA...BUT MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE SOUTHERN ZONES SUCH AS THE MAGDALENAS...SACRAMENTOS...AND CAPITANS COULD OBSERVE GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH. HAVE ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE HIGH WIND WARNING/ADVISORY AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE WITH REGARD TO SPATIAL COVERAGE AND TEMPORAL RANGE...BUT SOME EXTENSIONS OR EXPANSIONS WILL CERTAINLY BE NEEDED INTO WEDNESDAY. WIDESPREAD BLOWING DUST IS EXPECTED...BUT THE EXACT EXTENT IS SOMEWHAT OF AN UNKNOWN...AS THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO ACCOUNT FOR SO MANY ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES AND LAND USES SUCH AS ONGOING CONSTRUCTION AND SPRING PLOWING. PRECIPITATION WILL BE OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE AS IT FAVORS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NM TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT WILL BRING A NOTABLE AND SENSIBLE DROP TO TEMPERATURES TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...AND DAYTIME READINGS SHOULD RUN ABOUT 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WILL NOT BE MUCH OF A RESPITE WITH REGARD TO THE WINDS. THE FRONTAL PASSAGE ITSELF WILL ENHANCE GUSTS...BUT ALSO THE SURFACE GRADIENT WILL BE SLOW TO RELAX WITH IMPRESSIVE MOMENTUM ALOFT WEDNESDAY. AREAS IN NORTHEAST NM WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ANOTHER HIGH WIND WARNING FOR WEDNESDAY DAYTIME ALONG WITH MANY OTHER AREAS OF ADVISORIES...BUT AGAIN WE WILL CROSS THAT BRIDGE ON A LATER SHIFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO SIMPLIFY THINGS. WITH THE LAST SPOKE OF VORTICITY PASSING THROUGH NM LATE WEDNESDAY...THE FLOW ALOFT WILL RETAIN ITS NORTHWESTERLY COMPONENT INTO THURSDAY...BUT SPEEDS ALOFT WILL DROP SUBSTANTIALLY. STILL...A MODERATE SURFACE GRADIENT FROM A NEWLY DEVELOPED LEE SIDE SURFACE TROUGH WILL INITIATE BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS THURSDAY AFTERNOON...NAMELY NEAR THE INTERFACE OF THE HIGH PLAINS AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. OTHERWISE REBOUNDING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED. THE PATTERN WILL BEGIN TO ALTER AND DETERIORATE SOME INTO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BEGINS BUCKLING IN RESPONSE TO STRENGTHENING BAROCLINICITY. THIS WILL SEND A CLIPPER SYSTEM SOUTHEAST TOWARD NM BY SATURDAY...BUT MODELS HAVE BEEN QUITE FICKLE AND INCONSISTENT WITH THE DETAILS OF THE FEATURE. THE COLLECTIVE ANALYSIS WOULD SUGGEST SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL TO NORTHEASTERN ZONES WHILE STRONGER WINDS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES SAG INTO THE STATE...AND THIS FORECAST PACKAGE REFLECTS THIS THINKING. FORECAST MODELS THEN INDICATE A VAST CUT-OFF LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...BUT LARGE DISCREPANCIES ARE TOO MUCH FOR ANY CONFIDENT CONCLUSIONS AT THIS TIME. 52 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...CRITICAL CONDITIONS TODAY AREA WIDE AND POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY FOR AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40... PATHETIC EARLY MORNING RH RECOVERIES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING WINDS TODAY. HIGH HAINES...HIGH MIXING HEIGHTS AND WELL ABOVE AVERAGE TO NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH SINGLE DIGIT MIN HUMIDITIES WILL LEAD TO WIDESPREAD CRITICAL CONDITIONS FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING. WIND GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER GUSTS OVER AND NEAR THE HIGHER TERRAIN. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS COULD CONTINUE TONIGHT ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MT CHAIN AS AN H5 WIND OF 100KTS IS FORECAST AND OCCURS IN CONJUNCTION WITH H7 WINDS OF 50-60KTS AND AS A SURFACE COLD FRONT SWEEPS OVER THE REGION. POOR RH RECOVERIES EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT FROM THE RGV OVER THE CENTRAL MT CHAIN AND EASTERN PLAINS. WEDNESDAY/S WIND FORECAST EMPHASIZES THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS/PLAINS AS THE UPPER TROUGH EXITS THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS STATES...AND A FRONT PLUNGES INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO. POTENTIAL FOR STRONG NWLY TO NORTH WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH THERE...ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND NEARBY LOCALES COULD STILL SEE A PERIOD OF SUSTAINED WINDS CLOSE TO 40 MPH OR GUSTS TO AROUND 60 AS WELL...ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS WHICH ARE TYPICALLY WINDIER IN NW FLOW PATTERNS. DESPITE THE WIND FORECAST...THERE WILL BE SOMEWHAT HIGHER HUMIDITIES OVER THE NORTH...ACCOMPANIED BY CHANCES FOR MEAGER PRECIPITATION. GRIDS CONTINUE TO KICK OUT CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR THE INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR SOUTHWARD...AND WILL KEEP THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN PLACE DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND MIN HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM AROUND 8 TO 15 PERCENT...BUT OVERALL HIGH TEMPERATURES TAKE A DIVE...TO SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE...SO IT/S NOT QUITE THE SITUATION THAT WILL BE EXPERIENCED TODAY AND THIS EVENING. VENT RATES WILL BE MAXED OUT TODAY...AND EXCELLENT OVERALL WEDNESDAY. NORTHWEST FLOW DOMINATES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES THURSDAY ARE FORECAST TO BE NEAR TO BELOW AVERAGE...BUT WARM TO AVERAGE OR A FEW DEGREES ABOVE ON FRIDAY. THERE WILL BE LESS WIND OVERALL BUT SURFACE LEE TROUGHING COULD RESULT IN SUFFICIENT WIND FOR SPOTTY CRITICAL CONDITIONS BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ALONG THE INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR OVER EAST CENTRAL NM. RH RECOVERIES WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST FEW NIGHTS...BUT THIS IMPROVEMENT LOOKS TO DIMINISH THURSDAY NIGHT. VENT RATES WILL BE GOOD TO EXCELLENT BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. ANOTHER FAST MOVING UPPER TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT TO IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA SATURDAY/SATURDAY NIGHT. CHANCES FOR WETTING PRECIPITATION LIMITED TO MAINLY THE NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST. SPOTTY CRITICAL CONDITIONS COULD DEVELOP OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTHWEST/WEST CENTRAL SATURDAY...BUT MAY BE MITIGATED BY COOLER HIGHS AND MARGINAL MIN HUMIDITIES. RH RECOVERIES SATURDAY NIGHT WILL INCREASE TO GOOD TO EXCELLENT. THE UPPER RIDGE REBUILDS SUNDAY WITH ANOTHER TROUGH/COLD FRONT POSSIBLE AROUND THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. IF THE LATEST GFS IS CORRECT...NEXT TUESDAY COULD BE FAIRLY WINDY BEFORE A COOLDOWN OCCURS. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE POTENTIAL FOR WETTING PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM AT THIS POINT IN TIME. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ103-104-107-108. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ105>109. WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ501-503-504-507-509-516>520-522-524-525-530>538. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ101-102-105-106-109. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ502-505-506-508-510>515-521-523-526>529-539-540. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM MDT THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ512>515. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 502 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016 NMZ501>540-231200- 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- 502 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDS WILL BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A VIGOROUS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE WESTERN U.S. AND A STOUT JET STREAM ALOFT ACCOMPANIES IT. THE THREAT FOR SEVERE AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 AND 70 MPH WILL BE HIGHEST OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST ARE EXPECTED. IN ADDITION...LOW HUMIDITY AND VERY DRY CONDITIONS WILL COMBINE WITH THE STRONG WINDS TO CREATE AREAS OF CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY STRONG TO SEVERE WINDS WILL ONCE AGAIN PLAGUE PARTS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO INTO WEDNESDAY. GUSTS OF 60 MPH WILL BE MOST LIKELY ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN OF NEW MEXICO AND THE FAR NORTHEASTERN PLAINS OF THE STATE. CONDITIONS WILL AGAIN REMAIN DRY WITH LOW HUMIDITY ON WEDNESDAY. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY STRONG WIND GUSTS 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. 52
16 high wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Kachina Peak station at Taos Ski Valley reported wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph for around 18 hours. The peak gust of 71 mph was reported at 400 pm MDT on the 22nd.
Sierra Blanca Regional airport reported several hours of high winds. The peak gust of 62 mph occurred at 415pm MDT on the 22nd. A small wildfire broke out on a hill behind Denny's in Ruidoso.
Peak wind gusts to 73 mph reported at 330am MDT at Magdalena Ridge Observatory. The remainder of the Southwest Mountains experienced gusts near 50 mph.
Public reported a peak wind gust of 67 mph from the west around 915am MDT on the 23rd. The Tower RAWS also reported a peak wind of 64 mph late on the 22nd. A large tree was toppled onto a home in Los Alamos near Aspen Elementary School.
Clines Corners reported high winds for an extended duration between the 22nd and 23rd. The peak wind gust of 62 mph was reported at 138pm MDT on the 23rd.
Peak wind of 66 mph reported at 338pm MDT. Blowing dust reduced visibility and impacted travel along Interstate 40.
Las Vegas airport reported a peak gust to 59 mph at 929 pm MDT.
The top of Sandia Peak Tramway reported a peak gust to 61 mph at 400 pm MDT on the 22nd. The tram was closed to the public due to high winds that lasted through the 23rd.
Persistent wind gusts near 55 mph wreaked havoc across the Albuquerque Metro. Several roads on the west side became impassable due to tumbleweed drifts. One home had tumbleweeds pile up to the second floor. Several weakened and dead trees were also knocked down by the strong winds. Property damage was limited to fences and light weight objects.
CWOP site measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 556pm MDT to the northwest of Glorieta.
Dora reported peak sustained winds up to 45 mph for several hours.
CWOP site at Sedan measured sustained winds near 40 mph for over an hour.
CWOP site reported several hours of sustained winds above 40 mph.
Cannon Air Force Base reported a peak wind gust to 64 mph at 128 pm MDT.
Tucumcari airport.
Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility reported a peak wind gust to 61 mph at 800pm MDT.
Railroad site near Vaughn reported peak sustained winds to 43 mph around 350 pm MDT.
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, March 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: 616170, 616179, 616162, 616166, 616177, 616159, 616180, 616175, 616296, 616168, 616187, 616183, 616191, 616186, 616185, 616189, 616184.