A powerful jet stream over the Pacific Ocean shifted east across the southwest United States and focused strong west to northwest winds over New Mexico for several days in early February. Strong winds developed in the higher terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early morning of the 6th before spreading into adjacent highlands and plains through the afternoon.
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 powerful jet stream over the Pacific Ocean shifted east across the southwest United States and focused strong west to northwest winds over New Mexico for several days in early February. Strong winds developed in the higher terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early morning of the 6th before spreading into adjacent highlands and plains through the afternoon. Periodic strong winds impacted this area through the 8th. The strongest wind gusts averaged 60 to 70 mph. Meanwhile, widespread windy conditions across the remainder of central and eastern New Mexico produced gusts between 45 and 55 mph for several days.
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 Feb 6, 4:38 AM MST, 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 438 AM MST Mon Feb 6 2017 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE A fast-moving disturbance aloft is crossing New Mexico this morning with stout winds aloft accompanying. The stronger winds aloft will buffet the ridge tops and peaks along the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia/Manzano mountains, crashing into adjacent highlands and high plains farther east this afternoon. Severe gusts to 60-65kt will be possible over these areas with prolific mountain wave activity and turbulence. Outside of these central/eastern zones of New Mexico, gusts will be slightly more manageable in the 25 to 40 kt range. Scant precipitation will be possible over northwestern to north central New Mexico this afternoon into tonight with localized ceilings lowering and mountain obscurations over the San Juan/Tusas. 52 && .PREV DISCUSSION...233 AM MST Mon Feb 6 2017... .SYNOPSIS... West winds will rapidly increase this morning across much of the region. Very strong to possibly damaging winds are expected from the central mountains east across the central and northeast highlands as well as across portions of the east-central plains today through Tuesday. Low elevation rain and mountain snow are possible across far northwest and north-central New Mexico today through Tuesday. Strong winds will continue across the central mountain chain Tuesday. High temperatures will be above to well above average for early February through the week. As high pressure moves in from the west Wednesday night and Thursday, the strong west winds will subside. A storm system remains on track for northern New Mexico during the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... 80-90kt westerly jet out ahead of an upper level trough just off the PACNW coast entering wrn AZ early this morning. This jet will result in strong to very strong west winds across portions of central and eastern NM today. Gusts to 65 mph are possible across the ridgetops of the central mountains this afternoon and evening. The strong winds will continue overnight and into Tuesday, especially along and east of the central mountain chain. Sufficient mid-level Pacific moisture will combine with lift associated with the jet to generate areas of light rain and mountain snow at times across far nw and north-central NM this afternoon through Tuesday. A few inches of accumulation are possible from the far northwest highlands near Dulce east-southeast to Chama, Tierra Amarilla and Cebolla eastward into the Tusas mountains. Winds near mountain top level shift to nwly Tuesday night, resulting in strong northwest winds in the lee of the southern Sangres and Sandias east to the central highlands including Clines Corners. Winds subside Wednesday afternoon as a broad upper level ridge works in from the west. Thursday still looking the best day of the week with light winds and high temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average. West winds return Friday as a Pacific trough moves into northern CA. This upper trough/closed low is now forecast by all global models to put on the brakes and drop south through the western Great Basin and into AZ late-day Saturday. Rain and mountain snow showers are forecast to result across the northern third or so of the state Saturday. As the upper low continues south into AZ Saturday night and Sunday, a backdoor cold front is expected to surge south and west into eastern NM. This front could set the stage for an interesting weather scenario early next week as the upper low over AZ is progged to stall over northern Sonora Sunday night and Monday and then slide east across northern Mexico. The devil is always in the details and where exactly this closed low stalls will make all the difference in the sensible weather across NM. 33 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...Dry, windy, and warm conditions will lead to critical fire weather conditions across eastern NM today... Satellite imagery reveals a short wave trough moving inland from the Pacific, and ushering in stronger mid level winds over NM. This will yield strong to severe winds, as well as critical fire weather conditions today. The moisture that is attendant with this short wave trough is meager, and consequently any precipitation will be light and confined to the northern/northwestern zones with snow accumulations also being light in the mountains. Thus, the wind will take center stage along with the above average temperatures and lower RH. The more critical observations of each of these elements will all be best juxtaposed over the eastern plains of NM where a Red Flag warning is in effect. Northern portions of FWZ 104 in far northeastern NM will have more marginally critical humidity, but much of the southern half of the zone should meet critical thresholds. The gradient aloft retains strength tonight into Tuesday as another perturbation aloft propagates across the northern Rockies. Winds aloft will therefore stay stout tonight, possibly peaking over the ridge tops of the Sangres around dawn Tuesday. Scant and light precipitation will linger over the same north central or northwestern zones, and will continue to be less impactful than the winds. Temperatures will undergo little change between Monday and Tuesday, staying at or above average in all zones, however dewpoints trend upward, and this should carry humidity above critical thresholds. Nonetheless, the strong winds will remain a significant concern on Tuesday with widespread gusts of 40 to 50 mph expected, perhaps even as high as 65 mph over the higher terrain near the central mountain chain. The flow aloft will veer slightly more northwesterly by Wednesday with temperatures warming a couple degrees in some zones amidst diminishing precipitation. Breezy to windy conditions will still persist, mainly over/near the central mountain chain, however wind speeds will be less severe than today and Tuesday. Smoke ventilation would likely begin to suffer into Wednesday with wind speeds aloft decreasing. A brief, but welcome, respite from the winds will grace NM on Thursday as a transient ridge of high pressure aloft translates over the state. The more tranquil flow will continue to be complemented with above normal temperatures and dry conditions, although most zones will be plagued with poor ventilation and inefficient smoke dispersion. The westerlies aloft rapidly increase again into Friday and Saturday as the next trough approaches. Although initially more of a wind producer, this late week system will dive toward southern UT and AZ by Saturday, introducing some precipitation to northern NM. Precipitation could spread southward over NM into Sunday as the trough dives toward the Mexican border in the form of a cut-off low. Cooler air would also accompany the precipitation Sunday with shifting winds. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning from noon today to 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ104-108. Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ522-526-528-531-535>537-539-540. High Wind Warning from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ529-532>534. High Wind Warning until 2 PM MST Tuesday for the following zones... NMZ512>515-521-523-527. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 421 AM MST MON FEB 6 2017 NMZ501>540-071230- 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- 421 AM MST MON FEB 6 2017 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE MARKEDLY THIS MORNING. STRONG TO LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN EAST ACROSS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. GUSTS COULD EXCEED 65 MPH ALONG THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS INCLUDING CLINES CORNERS AND RATON PASS. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS REMAIN ON TRACK FOR PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AS THE STRONG WEST WINDS COMBINE WITH A DRY AIRMASS AND DOWNSLOPING EFFECTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY STRONG TO VERY STRONG WEST AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT, PRIMARILY FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN EAST. .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 WIND REPORTS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR VIA TWITTER USING THE HASHTAG NMWX. 33
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Kachina Peak at Taos Ski Valley periodically reporting high wind gusts.
Tucumcari airport reported peak winds between 58 and 64 mph for several hours on the 6th. Sustained winds were as strong as 41 mph.
Harvey Ranch reported sustained winds of 47 mph on the 6th. Clines Corners was periodically sustained around 40 mph through the 6th and 7th.
A public weather station northwest of Anton Chico reported peak wind gusts up to 68 mph. The Las Vegas airport reported peak wind gusts to 60 mph.
Angel Fire reported periodic strong wind gusts up to 66 mph from the 6th to the 8th.
Ute Park reported peak wind gusts up to 66 mph. Five large cottonwood trees were blown over around Ute Park. One tree was nearly two feet in diameter and landed over a roadway. No damage was reported to power lines.
Union Pacific Railroad weather stations reported sustained winds up to 42 mph in the area from Santa Rosa to Vaughn.
The top of Sandia Peak Tram reported peak wind gusts up to 71 mph on the 7th. Wind gusts were hovering in the 45 to 55 mph range for several days around this time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 2017
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: 669905, 669907, 669911, 669914, 669918, 669920, 669923, 669924.