Strong northwest winds developed over portions of eastern New Mexico on February 16, 2019 as a potent winter storm exited the region. The strongest winds impacted the area from near Taos Ski Valley across the high plains to Las Vegas, Clines Corners, and Tucumcari.
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 northwest winds developed over portions of eastern New Mexico on February 16, 2019 as a potent winter storm exited the region. The strongest winds impacted the area from near Taos Ski Valley across the high plains to Las Vegas, Clines Corners, and Tucumcari. The remainder of northern and central New Mexico was windy as well with widespread wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.
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 16, 4:28 AM MST, 4 hours 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 428 AM MST Sat Feb 16 2019 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE VFR conditions prevail and are generally forecast to persist with a couple of exceptions. MVFR conditions in light snow are possible at KGUP and KFMN this morning, then MVFR conditions in blowing dust are possible at eastern TAF sites. Mountain obscurations are already developing across northwest NM with the approach an an upper level trough and are forecast to expand in area across northern and western NM today. Otherwise, strong winds will be the big weather story today. Gusts to between 45 and 50kts will be common this afternoon across eastern NM. An airport weather warning for KABQ will likely be required later today, with gusts reaching to between 35 and 40kts. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...315 AM MST Sat Feb 16 2019... .SYNOPSIS... Snow will return to the northern third of the state today with areas of blowing snow possible. Wind will be the main weather impact elsewhere today with a strong jet stream overhead. Snow across the north will tapper off late this afternoon but return to northwest portion of the state Sunday. A very cold and stronger storm system remains on tap for early next week with accumulating snows likely along and north of Interstate 40. Bitterly cold temperatures will accompany this storm with high temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday not breaking the freezing mark for much of the northern half of the state. A slow warming trend gets underway Thursday with a another strong and cold system forecast for Friday. && .DISCUSSION... High clouds over the state early this morning indicative of the 190kt jet dropping in from the northwest. Strong to very strong winds, blowing dust and cold expected to be the main weather impacts most areas today but accumulating and blowing snow will bring some travel concerns over the northern third, especially mountains. Snow will taper off across the north during the late afternoon with snow showers returning to the northwest third Sunday afternoon, ahead of very cold upper-level low/trough dropping southward through east-central CA/far west-central NV. The above mentioned storm system continues to look like quite the mid- February snow storm for northern and central NM with a surface low developing near the Four Corners late Sunday night/Monday morning, sub-tropical moisture availability and a strong backdoor cold front. Accumulating snows look likely for much of the CWA Monday and Tuesday, particularly for the northeast half of the state. The very cold nature of this system will bring accumulating snows to just about all elevations, especially Monday night and Tuesday. Bitter cold will also accompany this system with 700mb temperatures colder than -10C (as cold as -16C) across nearly all of NM both Tuesday and Wednesday. A brief break in between systems and a minor warm-up is progged for Thursday but both the GFS and ECMWF agree that another very cold closed upper- low remains on track for Friday into Saturday. Thank a strong phase 8 of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) for such an active and favorable storm track. 33 && .FIRE WEATHER... Very windy conditions are forecast today as an upper level trough progresses east across the southern Rockies and the jet stream moves directly overhead. Chances for wetting precipitation will accompany the trough passage and will focus across the northern mountains, with accumulating snow favoring the peaks and west-facing slopes. Moist westerly flow will continue into Sunday, with chances for wetting precipitation favoring the western and northern high terrain. Vent rates will be good to excellent through the weekend. A complex troughing pattern will play-out Monday and Tuesday with a backdoor cold front bringing in a much colder airmass and chances for accumulating snow ramping-up across the area. Look for a short- lived break Wednesday into Thursday, followed by an even colder and more potent upper level low that will bring another round of wetting precipitation to the state Friday into the weekend. 11 && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE Unsettled weather will plague New Mexico through the next 24 to 36 hours, as a powerful jet stream aloft bisects the state and a fast- moving trough aloft clips the southern Rockies. Strong winds will buffet most of the state Saturday with the strongest gusts (40 to 50 kt) expected in the central highlands and east central to southeastern plains. Areas of blowing dust will be possible over the eastern plains with occasional MVFR ceilings/visibilities possible late Saturday afternoon in dust. Any precipitation (mostly snow) will be focused over northwestern to north central parts of the state, beginning around dawn and continuing into the afternoon Saturday with temporary MVFR to LIFR conditions. Areas of blowing snow and low clouds will periodically obscure the northern mountain peaks and ridges Saturday. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ523-526-529-532>534-539-540. Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ507-508-515-519>522-524-525-527-528-530-531-535>538. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ513-514. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ510. && 33
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 323 AM MST Sat Feb 16 2019 NMZ501>540-171130- 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- 323 AM MST Sat Feb 16 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Snow showers will move into northern and western New Mexico today. This storm system is colder that the past system with 1 to 3 inches of snow possible in areas like Gallup, Farmington, and Taos. The higher elevations of the northern mountains could pick up 3 to 6 inches of snow with blowing snow and reduced visibility. Strong to very strong winds are likely over much of central and eastern New Mexico today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday A potentially significant winter storm system remains on track for much of northern and central New Mexico Monday and Tuesday. This system will be even colder with the likelihood for widespread accumulating snow, blowing snow, reduced visibility, and difficult travel conditions. .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. 33
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A public weather station near Tecolotito reported a peak wind gust up to 60 mph.
Clines Corners reported peak wind gusts up to 61 mph.
Tucumcari reported peak sustained winds between 40 and 45 mph for several hours.
Tucumcari reported a peak wind gust up to 59 mph.
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, February 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: 797761, 797762, 797764, 797763.