A very active weather pattern continued to blast New Mexico with widespread strong winds and more light snowfall for the northern high terrain. Southwest winds increased during the early morning hours over western New Mexico before spreading east across the eastern plains.
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 very active weather pattern continued to blast New Mexico with widespread strong winds and more light snowfall for the northern high terrain. Southwest winds increased during the early morning hours over western New Mexico before spreading east across the eastern plains. Widespread wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported once again over many areas with peak winds in excess of 60 mph from Catron County eastward into the higher terrain of Lincoln County. High winds also impacted the Taos Ski Valley.
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 Jan 21, 4:46 AM MST, 3 hours 59 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 446 AM MST Mon Jan 21 2019 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE High winds will be the main impact today as a strong upper level storm system races through the southern Rockies. Southwest winds will increase by late morning and peak btwn 19Z and 01Z. Peak wind gusts of 30 to 40 knots will be common for many terminals while the high terrain experiences mountain wave activity and gusts over 50 knots. Winds will turn northwest this evening as a potent cold front moves through the area. Cloud cover will thicken and lower behind the cold front with snow showers and blowing snow likely around the northern and western high terrain overnight. Guyer && .PREV DISCUSSION...330 AM MST Mon Jan 21 2019... .SYNOPSIS... Strong to very strong southwest and west winds will develop today as an upper level low pressure system crossing Colorado steers the jet stream over New Mexico. The strongest winds should be felt over the south central mountains and adjacent high plains where potentially damaging wind gusts may reach 70 mph. Elsewhere across the high terrain wind gusts will generally vary from 45 to 65 mph. Lower elevation wind gusts should vary from 30 to 50 mph. The northern mountains can also expect a few inches of snow this afternoon into Tuesday morning with the highest amounts near 7 inches in the Tusas Mountains above Chama. Snow showers and flurries will probably linger over central parts of the state Tuesday with below normal temperatures areawide. It will remain cool and a little gusty during the latter half of the week with periods of light precipitation along and east of the northern mountains. && .DISCUSSION... Windy to very windy day expected as an upper level low pressure system passing eastward over CO steers the polar jet stream over NM. There will also be a sharp surface trough south of a roughly 992 mb surface low in eastern CO. Strong west and southwest winds will result with the potential for widespread gusts in the 40-50 mph range. Wind speeds at 700 mb are generally forecast to peak from 50-60 kt over the mountains, and near 70 kt in the south central mountains, where there is a good chance for potentially damaging surface wind gusts up to 70 mph. Will continue the High Wind Warning for the west central, southwest and south central mountains, and upgrade the current Wind Advisory to a High Wind Warning in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Models have been depicting slightly less wind over the Jemez Mountains, so no headlines there yet. The day shift will monitor and update if needed. Most of the moisture with today's storm system will stay north of NM, but the northern mountains should accumulate a few inches of snow. The highest amounts should top 6 inches in the Tusas Mountains above Chama, and could reach 4 inches in the northern Sangres. The bigger impact in the Sangres will be 60 mph winds, so will mention Sangres snow accumulation in their High Wind Warning. As the upper level low pressure system shifts eastward over the Great Plains Monday night and Tuesday, a strong back door cold front will dive southward into NM's eastern plains with strong winds. North wind gusts should vary from 40 to 55 mph Tuesday morning until mid afternoon along and east of a line from Raton to Clovis. The strongest winds are expected on the northeast plains. Also on Tuesday, a weak secondary shortwave trough will dig over NM while a somewhat moist cold front pushes southward through central parts of the state. This will cause clouds and light snow showers to linger over central areas, but little or no accumulation is expected. After high temperatures around 7 to 17 degrees below normal on Tuesday, readings will rebound only slowly Wednesday through Saturday as northwest flow aloft steers a series of perturbations southeastward across the northern and central Rockies. This should keep winds a little gusty over NM each day, and enable a few weak cold fronts to sag southward through the state. Periods of light precipitation will also be possible along and east of the northern mountains. A weak and transient ridge of high pressure is forecast for Sunday, when high temperatures may reach around normal. 44 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...MARGINAL CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR EAST CENTRAL NM THIS AFTERNOON... A storm system will move east through the Four Corners region today with widespread strong southwest winds ahead of an approaching cold front. The limiting factor for critical conditions today will be marginally low humidity in the 15 to 20% range along with plenty of high clouds. Winds will turn to the west then northwest by sunset as the cold front blasts through the area. There is even the potential for a few inches of snow over the northern high terrain late today through Tuesday. Temperatures will trend much colder Tuesday with readings 10 to 15 degrees below normal. The back door portion of the cold front will then race south through eastern NM Tuesday morning with more strong winds. Strong high pressure settling into the area Tuesday morning will bring the coldest low temperatures in a couple weeks for Wednesday morning. The remainder of the week will feature two upper level waves moving southeast through the central Rockies on fast northwest flow aloft. This pattern will force periodic cold fronts with breezy winds into the area. The first cold front is on tap for Thursday followed by the next on Saturday. There may be just enough moisture to squeeze out very light snowfall with each front near the Colorado border. Otherwise an overall dry and relatively tranquil pattern is on tap. Guyer && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 9 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ501-502-509-512-521>525-527>533. High Wind Warning from 8 AM this morning to 9 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ505-506-508-513>515-526-539-540. Winter Weather Advisory from noon today to 11 AM MST Tuesday for the following zones... NMZ510. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 522 AM MST Mon Jan 21 2019 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- 522 AM MST Mon Jan 21 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight An upper level low pressure system crossing Colorado will steer the jet stream over New Mexico today producing strong to very strong southwest winds. The potential exists for widespread wind gusts from 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 60 mph in the mountains, except up to 70 mph in the south central mountains and adjacent high plains. A Pacific cold front will shift the wind direction out of the west across western areas late in the day. A few inches of snow will also be possible in the northern mountains this afternoon into Tuesday morning, except locally over a half foot in the Tusas Mountains above Chama. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday 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... Spotters are encouraged to report snow amounts, wind speeds and wind damage through the National Weather Service Albuquerque web site at weather.gov/abq or by calling 1.888.386.7637. You can also submit storm reports and photos on our Facebook page or via Twitter using the hashtag nmwx. 44
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A public weather station near Red Hill reported peak sustained winds between 40 and 45 mph for several hours.
The Sierra Blanca airport reported peak wind gusts between 58 and 71 mph for several hours. Areas around Nogal reported peak wind gusts up to 64 mph.
The Kachina Peak mesonet site at Taos Ski Valley reported peak wind gusts between 58 and 66 mph for several hours.
The Sierra Blanca airport reported peak sustained winds between 40 and 51 mph for several hours. Areas around Nogal reported peak sustained winds up to 47 mph.
A public weather station near Red Hill reported a peak wind gust up to 58 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, January 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: 793737, 793739, 793741, 793740, 793738.