New Mexico, 2018

Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, February 21 to 22, 2018

February 21 to 22, 2018 · NWS ABQ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A progressive weather pattern across the western United States continued to provide regular bouts of winter weather over northern and western New Mexico. An upper level wave that moved quickly east from Arizona spread snow and wind along the Continental Divide and the northern mountains of New Mexico.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.

A progressive weather pattern across the western United States continued to provide regular bouts of winter weather over northern and western New Mexico. An upper level wave that moved quickly east from Arizona spread snow and wind along the Continental Divide and the northern mountains of New Mexico. Snowfall amounts averaged three to six inches between Gallup and Grants northeastward toward Cuba. The greatest amounts focused from near Dulce to Chama and within the high terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where six to 10 inches was reported. Difficult travel conditions were reported in many of these areas. The five inches reported at Dulce was the greatest 24-hour snowfall amount so far for the winter season. Strong winds were reported around the Ruidoso area once again as this storm system pulled eastward into the Great Plains.

What forecasters said that day

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 21, 4:43 PM MST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 4:43 PM MST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 21, 5:06 AM MST, 12 hours 54 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
506 AM MST Wed Feb 21 2018

NMZ501>540-221200-
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 AM MST Wed Feb 21 2018

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central
New Mexico.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Snow will develop across north central and portions of northwest New
Mexico later today and overnight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in
effect.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow is in effect for north central
and portions of northwest New Mexico through Thursday evening.

Strong winds and chances for snow associated with a cold front will
spread east across the state late Friday through early Saturday. A
Winter Weather Advisory and possibly a Wind Advisory may be required.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report snowfall amounts through the
National Weather Service Albuquerque web site at weather.gov/abq
or by calling 1.888.386.7637.

28

Event by event

2 heavy snow, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Far Northwest Highlands

When
February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 2:00 PM MST
Where
Far Northwest Highlands forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager

Emergency management reported between three and six inches of snow around Dulce.

Heavy Snow, San Juan Mountains

When
February 21, 6:00 PM MST to February 22, 3:00 PM MST
Where
San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

COOP and SNOTEL reports across eastern Rio Arriba County reported between six and 11 inches of snowfall.

High Wind, South Central Mountains

When
February 22, 12:50 PM MST to 1:40 PM MST
Where
South Central Mountains forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS

Sierra Blanca Regional Airport reported peak wind gusts up to 58 mph.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 2018

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 731520, 731521, 731522.