A broad upper level trough moved quickly southeastward from the Great Basin into northern New Mexico and delivered a swift punch of high winds. The strongest winds developed over the high terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early morning hours of the 17th then spread eastward into northeastern New Mexico through the afternoon hours.
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 broad upper level trough moved quickly southeastward from the Great Basin into northern New Mexico and delivered a swift punch of high winds. The strongest winds developed over the high terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early morning hours of the 17th then spread eastward into northeastern New Mexico through the afternoon hours. Several locations along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains reported peak wind gusts near 65 mph along with damage to large trees. Strong downslope flow in this pattern generated a handful of record high temperatures across central and eastern New Mexico. The strong winds tapered off over much of the area by the late afternoon hours, however a few areas along the east slopes continued to experience periodic high winds. This storm system ushered in the coldest temperatures of the fall season and finally brought the third latest freeze on record at the Albuquerque Sunport on the 19th.
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 17, 4:37 AM MST, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 437 AM MST Fri Nov 17 2017 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE Main aviation weather-related impact this cycle will be strong and potentially dangerous winds to general aviation, which are already developing early this morning with gusts to between 40-48kts being reported at KLVS and KRTN. The strongest winds today are forecast at KLVS, where a few gusts to near 50kts are possible. Winds will shift from west-southwest to northwest behind a strong cold front tonight, with more strong winds possible at KLVS behind the front. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...245 AM MST Fri Nov 17 2017... .SYNOPSIS... Strong to very strong west winds will be the main weather story today as a storm system and associated cold front approach from the northwest. Scattered showers and high mountain snow showers will continue across the northern mountains through tonight. A few inches of snow accumulation are possible above 9000 feet in the Tusas and Sangre de Cristo mountains by sunrise Saturday. A colder airmass will settle in across the state tonight and Saturday. A gradual warming trend is expected for Sunday, continuing into early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Westerly flow aloft on the increase as an upper level trough drops sewd over the PACNW. Angel Fire Airport (AXX) gusting to 38kt at 17/08Z No major changes to the forecast with models in good agreement with regard precipitation amounts in the northern mountains and widespread strong west winds. Wind guidance came down a tad across the eastern plains but still expecting high end wind advisory to high wind criteria speeds this afternoon. The strong west winds and warm temperatures aloft will result in near record to record high temperatures for the eastern half of the state including the mid RGV. Wind guidance has increased markedly for tonight across central NM with the secondary/main cold frontal passage. 33kt sustained west winds showing up at 06Z (11 pm MST) in the MET guidance at Double Eagle Airport on ABQ's west side. The strong winds finally gradually subside from northwest to southeast Saturday morning. A very dry airmass in the wake of this system/cold front will lead to the coldest morning so far this autumn season Sunday. Went with a low of 29F for the Sunport Sunday morning (which would end up being the 3rd latest freeze on record) given the lack of wind and single digit dewpoint temps. GFS and ECWMF now back to bringing weak and mainly dry short-wave troughs through on northwest flow aloft Sunday night and again Monday night. Monday night's trough the stronger of the two but still only expecting an increase in clouds and perhaps some flurries in the northern Tusas and northern Sangre de Cristo mountains Monday night and Tuesday morning. Despite these two troughs, high temperatures warm to near seasonal averages Sunday and slightly above to above average Monday. Both GFS and ECWMF strengthen a ridge/dome of high pressure aloft over the Great Basin and points south Tuesday, folding the ridge over NM Wednesday. The ridge flattens on Thursday with dry northwest flow developing over NM Thursday into Friday. GFS and to some extent the ECWMF show some hope on the horizon after day 10 with deep troughs in the Gulf of Alaska but we've seen this weather prediction model movie before. 33 && .FIRE WEATHER... Very windy conditions will develop later today ahead of a strong cold front, forecast to push through the state tonight. Temperatures will be well above normal today, especially across the Eastern Plains where downslope winds will contribute to the warming. Highs today will be near daily record values across much of central and eastern New Mexico. The Red Flag Warning in effect for the East Central Plains looks on track, with several hours of critical fire weather conditions expected. Orographically forced precipitation is forecast across the Northern Mountains today and tonight both ahead of and behind the cold front, with the Tusas Mountains favored for snow accumulations. Strong winds will persist overnight behind the front, but will gradually subside. Much colder conditions will prevail Saturday into Saturday night behind the front, with vent rates trending down. Warming late in the weekend and into early next week will send daytime temperatures back above normal areawide by Monday. A very dry atmosphere will prevail this weekend and into early next week, with below normal PWATs and humidity mostly in the teens. A large and dominant ridge of high pressure is forecast to build up over the Desert Southwest going into the middle of next week, with anomalously high 500mb heights. This pattern will lead to well above normal temperatures, but mostly poor vent rates due to a very stable atmosphere. 11 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ108. Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ502-505-521-522-533-534. High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ523-527>532. High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ513>515. && 33
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 249 AM MST Fri Nov 17 2017 NMZ501>540-181130- 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- 249 AM MST Fri Nov 17 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong to possibly damaging west winds will develop today and continue tonight, ahead and with the passage of a Pacific cold front. The strongest winds are forecast along and east of the central mountain chain north of Interstate 40. Wind gusts to 60 mph will be possible from the Sangre de Cristo mountain crest east across the northeast highlands. Additionally, several inches of snow accumulation is possible in the Tusas Mountains above about 9000 feet Friday night with travel impact expected to remain low given warm temperatures of late. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. However, weather can change very rapidly. Always use the latest forecasts, watches and warning for planning purposes. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. 33
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Peak wind gusts between 58 mph and 61 mph were reported at Des Moines periodically over several hours.
Taos Ski Valley sites at Kachina Peak and Highline Ridge reported peak wind gusts between 58 mph and 63 mph periodically for much of the day.
Observer reported high winds almost all day. A large 50 ft pine tree was blown down. A large ash tree also blown down. Several other dead trees also blown down.
Large trees blown down around Philmont Scout Ranch.
Sustained winds between 40 mph and 43 mph reported periodically for a few hours at Des Moines.
Sustained winds between 40 mph and 44 mph were reported periodically for much of the day at Tecolotito.
Peak wind gust up to 59 mph at the Las Vegas airport.
Peak wind gust to 61 mph at Clines Corners.
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, November 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: 722382, 722384, 722387, 722388, 722383, 722385, 722386, 722389.