A moist and unstable airmass over eastern New Mexico combined with fast northwest flow aloft over the region to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms. Most of these storms produced brief outflow winds, small hail, and brief heavy rain.
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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 moist and unstable airmass over eastern New Mexico combined with fast northwest flow aloft over the region to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms. Most of these storms produced brief outflow winds, small hail, and brief heavy rain. The strongest storm developed a few miles east of Clines Corners along Interstate 40 then shifted southeast through Guadalupe County. Three to four inches of nickel size hail accumulations along the highway resulted in five vehicles sliding off the road. One vehicle was overturned in the center median of the highway. The extent of any injuries was unknown and no further information was available from the NM State Police or NMDOT.
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 Apr 25, 4:54 PM MST, 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 554 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 .AVIATION... 00Z TAF CYCLE The backdoor front has pushed up to the eastern slopes of the central mountain chain. A decent cu field has also developed over the higher terrain, with a couple of spot ts pushing east off the Sangres into the Northeast Highlands from KRTN to KLVS. Expect potentially erratic gusty outflow winds from any nearby ts. MVFR cigs have a good chance of developing at KLVS overnight thanks to the upslope flow as well. An east canyon wind is still forecast for KSAF and KABQ, with it already beginning at KSAF this hour and reaching KABQ by 02Z. At the moment, not expecting winds to reach AWW criteria at KABQ, however outflow from any storms east of the central mountain chain may give enough of a boost to reach AWW so it is not entirely out of the question. The east wind may also help allow the few light dry showers sw of KABQ to make it into the RGV, so left the VCSH there. Winds will turn southerly Friday across the east, with a lee sfc low developing over southeast CO. This will strengthen winds across the east Friday afternoon. 24/RJH && .PREV DISCUSSION...306 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019... .SYNOPSIS... Backdoor cold front has made it south through the eastern plains. Showers and a few thunderstorms will be noted over the northeastern quarter or so of our CWA into the night. A few light showers will impact central areas this evening. Friday will be warmer with a similar pattern for convection. A back door cold front will inch into the northeast Saturday, with this area the main focus for showers and storms into Saturday night. Sunday will be dry and very warm. The next significant storm system should impact NM early next week. && .DISCUSSION... The backdoor cold front has made it south through the eastern plains and west through the highlands. The upslope flow behind the front and the boundary the front has created will be the focus for showers and some thunderstorms, which may last well into the night. The central mountains on east will be the favored areas, but a few light showers and virga will occur in the Rio Grande Valley on west to the Divide. Friday will be similar to Thursday with regard to the coverage of convection, mainly for the central mountains and northeast. High temperatures will be warmer and above normal just about everywhere. Another back door cold front will try and sneak into the northeast Saturday, with limited success. But it will set up an area of convergence in the northeast, helping fuel some showers and storms Saturday afternoon and evening. The back door cold front will push farther south and west Saturday evening. Sunday will be very warm and dry with critical fire weather conditions. A storm deepening off the southern CA coast will come inland Monday. Models then differ on the timing of the upper low, with the GFS faster than the CMC and ECMWF. We will have precipitation in the forecast from Monday through Tuesday night, with Monday night and Tuesday the most active. Wednesday will be mostly dry and warmer. A back door cold front could impact the east again next Wednesday night and Thursday. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... A relatively active weather pattern expected across northern and central New Mexico into the middle of next week with temperatures generally above normal. However, several cold fronts will cause temperatures to yo-yo over northeast and east central New Mexico. One front has plunged through most of the eastern plains today and another is expected Saturday as winds aloft remain out of the northwest. Thereafter, drier southwest to westerly winds strengthen Sunday in advance of a potential storm system and associated cold front next Monday into Tuesday. Critical conditions are now appearing widespread over the eastern plains Sunday afternoon. Strong westerly winds may return next Wednesday followed by a vigorous back door cold front next Thursday. Showers and a few storms over the northern mountains this afternoon will expand south and eastward this evening as the cold front pushes into the Rio Grande Valley. Isolated to scattered showers and storms will favor the northern mountains and northeast Friday into Saturday with spotty wetting precipitation, although isolated activity could occur along and east of the ContDvd into the East Central Plains. Southwest breezes Friday over the northeast and east central are not expected to trigger critical conditions due to minimum humidities ranging from 15-25 percent. Saturday's front in the eastern plains is forecast to remain east of the RGV. Drier and stronger southwest to west winds Sunday with critical fire weather conditions appearing widespread over the eastern plains in the afternoon. Fair to poor humidity recoveries expected both Saturday and Sunday night portions of the west and central. A storm system will swing over the region Monday into Tuesday, with temperatures cooling down overall but the majority of any precipitation falling over the north and east. Strong westerly winds may return next Wednesday but will be followed by a vigorous back door cold front Thursday. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 332 AM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 NMZ501>540-261100- 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- 332 AM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A back door cold front will enter northeastern New Mexico early this morning with north winds of 25 to 35 mph for a few hours over Union County. Showers and thunderstorms will develop over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains later this afternoon and move east-southeast across northeastern New Mexico this evening. A couple storms may produce heavy rainfall, strong outflow winds, and hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Isolated showers and thunderstorms will develop along the central mountain chain Friday and move east into the high plains of eastern New Mexico through Friday evening. This activity is expected to be mainly dry with strong and erratic outflow wind gusts possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. Guyer
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 600 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 NMZ523-533-260030- Guadalupe County-Central Highlands- 600 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN SAN MIGUEL...WESTERN GUADALUPE AND NORTHEASTERN TORRANCE COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM MDT... At 559 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11 miles northeast of Clines Corners, or 31 miles east of Moriarty, moving southeast at 15 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southwestern San Miguel...western Guadalupe and northeastern Torrance Counties. This includes Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 225 and 240. && LAT...LON 3507 10565 3522 10553 3508 10519 3486 10537 TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 304DEG 13KT 3509 10549 40
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 631 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 NMZ523-533-260100- Guadalupe County-Central Highlands- 631 PM MDT Thu Apr 25 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN SAN MIGUEL... NORTHWESTERN GUADALUPE AND NORTHEASTERN TORRANCE COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM MDT... At 630 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12 miles east of Clines Corners, or 33 miles east of Moriarty, moving southeast at 10 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Frequent and dangerous cloud to ground lightning will also be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Milagro. This includes Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 225 and 244. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor your preferred media outlets and NOAA Weather Radio for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. Motorists can expect brief but sudden changes in visibility and ponding of water on highways as storms move through the area. && LAT...LON 3501 10556 3517 10548 3512 10515 3482 10525 TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 301DEG 9KT 3506 10546 24
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:47 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail accumulated three to four inches along Interstate 40. Five vehicles slid off the highway. One of these vehicles was overturned in the center median. The extent of any injuries was unknown and no further information was available from NMSP or NMDOT.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2019
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: 810939.