A large winter storm system moved slowly east from California into the central Rockies on February 6, 2019. A potent Pacific cold front in association with this system raced eastward across New Mexico during the early morning hours then through eastern New Mexico 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 large winter storm system moved slowly east from California into the central Rockies on February 6, 2019. A potent Pacific cold front in association with this system raced eastward across New Mexico during the early morning hours then through eastern New Mexico through the afternoon. A band of snow along the front produced strong winds, blowing snow, and low visibility as it moved through western and central New Mexico. Several accidents were reported along Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque due to wintry travel conditions. Southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts near 45 mph impacted many areas of the state, but the strongest winds impacted eastern New Mexico where gusts near 60 mph were common. Blowing dust was reported in areas downwind of White Sands National Monument and around the Caprock.
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, 4:30 AM MST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 430 AM MST Wed Feb 6 2019 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE Winds and mtn obscurations will be the main aviation concerns today. Increasing SW winds have already begun for sites including KGUP, KFMN, KLVS, and KSRR this morning. Strong SW winds will expand further over NM starting at ~15Z with the strongest wind speeds of 25-35kts sustained and gusts upwards of 45-55kts being felt in the 20-23Z timeframe. The strongest SW wind gusts will focus along and east of the central mtn chain where bldu will likely cause brief lowered vis in the afternoon. Winds will turn more westerly with the fropa expected to reach KGUP and KFMN 17Z-18Z, KABQ to KSAF by 19Z- 20Z, and finally KTCC to KCAO by 23Z-00Z. VCSH will remain focused over western and northern NM with on and off MVFR/IFR conditions persisting through the day. A brief period of LIFR may accompany the fropa along the continental divide, in particular at KGUP. Showers will weaken before reaching the Middle RGV but cannot rule out some VCSH. An AWW may also be needed for KABQ during the fropa when the strongest wind gusts will likely be felt. Winds will calm late in the TAF period tonight and tomorrow morning. 24/RJH && .PREV DISCUSSION...133 AM MST Wed Feb 6 2019... .SYNOPSIS... Main focus with this forecast package will be on the next 24 hours as a trough of low pressure aloft and strong surface cold front swings through NM. They will bring rain and mountain snow showers, strong to high winds and much colder temperatures today and tonight. Thursday will be mostly dry but very chilly. Friday through the weekend will be mainly dry with moderating temperatures. A weak short wave trough could bring a few snow showers to the northern mountains Saturday and Saturday night. Another short wave trough will cross the state early next week with increasing winds and again just slight chances of snow showers over the northern mountains. && .DISCUSSION... Storm center is just west of Las Vegas, NV early this morning. It and the trough will move east today and cross NM tonight. A round of mountain snow and low elevation rain showers, strong to high winds and a big drop in temperatures is in store for the state. Various wind and snow highlights are in effect. No changes expected for the winter weather highlights, but we will add the Gallup, Albuquerque and Santa Fe zones to the wind advisories. The snow will last into tonight over the mountains. Blowing snow on the higher peaks will create considerable reductions in visibility. Blowing dust may be observed on the eastern plains. The trough will be east of NM Thursday. The cold air will remain with highs well below normal. Winds will be less but still breezy to windy in the east. Any show showers will be confined to the northern mountains. Friday through the weekend will be mostly dry with some moderation in temperatures each day. We can't rule out a few snow showers over the northern mountains Saturday or Saturday night ahead of a very weak short wave trough. Winds will not be too bad, with breezy conditions confined mostly to the northeast over the weekend. Another trough will sweep across the state Monday with increasing winds and again just some snow showers confined to the northern mountains Monday and Monday night. High temperatures will be close to normal. Models are at odds concerning a possible moist system reaching NM later next week. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... Elevated fire weather concerns will exist this afternoon across the East Plains up to Union County where strong southwest winds 35-45mph will combine with another round of above normal high temperatures. Occasional gusts up to 60mph will be possible over much of eastern NM during peak mixing this afternoon. Spotty and short-lived critical fire weather is possible over the Caprock in FWZ108 and lower FWZ106 near Socorro where the lowest MinRHs of 15-20% will exist. A deepening lee-side low developing over far SE Colorado this afternoon combined with a 700mb jet of 45-55kts ahead of a strong storm system currently moving over the Great Basin will be the culprit for these strong winds today. Meanwhile, western and central NM will also see strong SW winds today, however it will not be as strong as the east. Showers will begin to move into far western NM ahead of the fropa this morning with moderate snowfall expected along SW facing slopes of the Chuskas and moreso the San Juans/Tusas Mountains where up to a foot could fall by Thursday morning. Some wetting precipitation will try to make it to the RGV from Socorro up to Santa Fe, however downsloping flow will begin to undercut this line of showers once it progresses past the continental divide. Much colder and drier air advects and settles into NM behind the fropa later tonight and through Thursday. Dewpoints plummet into the single digits and negatives, along with a 24hr temp change of minus 20-30F. Highs Thu will struggle to reach the upper 30s to 40 for much of the forecast area Thu. Breezy conditions will continue for central and eastern NM but will not be nearly as strong as Wed. A general warming trend takes hold for Fri-Sun with southerly return flow forming over much NM rebounding sfc moisture. Ventilation will be poor-fair Fri-Sun. 24/RJH && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ505-508-515-518>522-524-525-527-528-530-535>538. High Wind Warning until 10 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ523-526-529-531>534-539-540. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM MST Thursday for the following zones... NMZ511>514. Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MST tonight for the following zones... NMZ502-503. Winter Storm Warning until 6 AM MST Thursday for the following zones... NMZ510. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 358 AM MST Wed Feb 6 2019 NMZ501>540-071200- 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- 358 AM MST Wed Feb 6 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A storm system will approach the four corners region by the end of today, then cross the state tonight. A strong surface cold front will sweep across the state this afternoon into tonight. Accumulating snow is likely on most western and northern mountains, with the highest amounts on the San Juan/Tusas mountains, where another 3 to 6 inches could fall below 7500 feet and 6 to 12 inches above 7500 feet. Strong to high winds, and potentially damaging winds are expected Wednesday from the central mountains to the Texas border. Gusts of 60 to 70 mph will be possible. Much colder air will pour into western NM this afternoon and race across the rest of the state this evening into the night. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Wind chills early Thursday morning will be well below zero in the mountains, with single digits to teens elsewhere. Bitter cold Thursday night with lows below zero in the mountains, and single digits to teens elsewhere. Wind chills will be even lower. No hazardous weather is expected at this time from Friday through next Tuesday. However, weather can change very rapidly. Always use the latest forecasts, watches and warning for planning purposes. .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. 40
7 high wind, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The combination of three to six inches of snow, strong winds, blowing snow, low visibility, and very cold temperatures led to severe travel conditions along U.S. 84 and NM-17 near the Colorado border. U.S. 64 was also closed between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras due to extreme travel conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches in the area from Red River to Taos Ski Valley. High wind gusts up to 68 mph in the higher terrain resulted in near whiteout conditions from snow and blowing snow.
Sierra Blanca airport reported a peak wind gust up to 63 mph.
A public weather station near Tecolotito reported a peak wind gust up to 58 mph.
Several White Sands Missile Range sites reported peak wind gusts between 58 and 60 mph.
The Tucumcari airport reported sustained winds between 40 and 46 mph for several hours.
Several White Sands Missile Range sites reported peak wind gusts up to 60 mph.
The Dunken RAWS reported peak wind gusts up to 60 mph.
The Tucumcari airport 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: 795896, 795897, 795910, 795911, 795913, 795915, 795912, 795916, 795914.