Low level moisture moved back westward into eastern New Mexico on May 30, 2019 as another upper level trough took shape over the western United States. Sufficient mid level moisture and instability ahead of this wave within central New Mexico generated a few thunderstorms with strong outflow winds and even a brief landspout tornado near Crownpoint.
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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.
Low level moisture moved back westward into eastern New Mexico on May 30, 2019 as another upper level trough took shape over the western United States. Sufficient mid level moisture and instability ahead of this wave within central New Mexico generated a few thunderstorms with strong outflow winds and even a brief landspout tornado near Crownpoint. The main focus for severe thunderstorms was over eastern New Mexico where high winds impacted the area around Tucumcari and especially Dexter where some wind damage was reported.
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 May 30, 11:06 AM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1206 PM MDT Thu May 30 2019 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE Scattered showers and thunderstorms will favor the northern mountains, central mountain chain and adjacent high plains this afternoon. Cells should agglomerate into clusters and lines as they keep marching east northeastward across the far eastern plains this evening. In addition, an isolated mix of wet and dry cells is expected across the Rio Grande Valley and western areas this afternoon and early evening, where dry or hybrid wet/dry microbursts will be capable of erratic wind gusts to 50 mph. Some storms may turn severe east of the central mountain chain with large hail, damaging winds and the potential for an isolated tornado. Tonight, areas of MVFR conditions are forecast to return east of the central mountain chain with the best chance along the east slopes of the Sandia, Manzano and Sacramento Mountains and eastward across the plains from the Caprock southward. The potential exists for flight category restrictions to persist across southeast areas into early Friday afternoon. 44 && .PREV DISCUSSION...226 AM MDT Thu May 30 2019... .SYNOPSIS... A few strong to severe thunderstorms are expected across eastern New Mexico this afternoon and evening. Large hail and damaging winds are the main threats with these storms. Fewer storms are expected for Friday, however, eastern New Mexico should see repeated rounds of shower and thunderstorm activity through the weekend. Some of the thunderstorms will be severe once again. Meanwhile, across the west, virga or dry thunderstorms may produce gusty and erratic winds this afternoon, and perhaps again on Friday, if storms develop. Temperatures will slowly warm area wide through the weekend, though may still be just shy of normal especially across the east central plains. && .DISCUSSION... A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon as moist upslope flow backs up to the central mountain chain and a weak trough shifts northeastward over NM. Main threats will be large hail and damaging wind gusts. These storms may evolve into clusters this evening across the plains due to low level southerly flow increasing and outflow boundary interactions. Elsewhere, modest moisture will be in place across western NM following the gap winds this morning. Though most of the moisture across the west will mix out this afternoon, there may be a few dry thunderstorms and/or virga showers that produce gusty and erratic winds. Low level moisture will surge back westward tonight. Low clouds should develop across portions of eastern NM once again. Fewer storms are expected on Friday thanks to a lack of forcing. Low level flow will be southerly, thus little to no upslope, and no shortwave trough is expected. Nonetheless, any storm or virga that develops across the west will be capable of gusty winds once again. Any storm that develops along and east of the central mountain chain could become strong or severe, especially along/east of the south central mountains. Over the weekend, the upper level low that will be meandering southward over CA today and tomorrow will hold it's position over central/southern CA. This will allow potent low level moisture to advect into at least the eastern plains of NM. Any weak jet or perturbation in the southwest flow aloft, remnant boundary, or weak upslope flow could trigger thunderstorms across the plains. Enough instability and shear will exist for at least a few strong to severe storms each afternoon/evening. Early next week, the aforementioned CA low will inch eastward. Thus with little change in the upper air pattern, it looks like active weather for at least eastern NM will continue. The low, or whats left of it, looks to finally shift over and east of NM on Wednesday night or Thursday, however, a back door front may still keep thunderstorms in the forecast for eastern NM. 34 && .FIRE WEATHER... Low level moisture will slosh back and forth over eastern and central New Mexico for the next 7 days. Temperatures will be about 5- 15 degrees below average today then gradually climb to near normal by Sunday. Temperatures will hover near normal early next week, then fall back below average mid to late next week. A mix of dry and a few wet showers and storms are possible from western New Mexico to the Rio Grande Valley today through Friday, depending how far west and how long the low level moisture seeps at night, and how much mixes out during the daytime. In addition, moderate to high Haines forecast for areas along and west of the Continental Divide Friday. Some drier air may temporarily invade western and central New Mexico Sunday, where widespread high Haines is forecast. Otherwise, convection to trend a bit wetter by Tuesday and Wednesday of next week over western New Mexico, as a weak upper low wobbles around to the west of the state. Wetting showers and thunderstorms will prevail from the central mountain chain to the Texas border today through the middle of next week. A few strong to severe storms with large hail and damaging winds are possible over eastern New Mexico this afternoon and evening. Cell motion today and tonight will be generally to the northeast. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 231 AM MDT Thu May 30 2019 NMZ501>540-311100- 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- 231 AM MDT Thu May 30 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon along and just east of the central mountain chain. Some of these storms may be strong or severe with large hail and damaging winds. These storms will shift east or northeast over the plains through this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected Friday through early next week, although fewer storms are expected on Friday. Storms will favor eastern New Mexico, though could occur anywhere. A few severe storms will be possible this weekend across the plains. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report any severe weather 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. 34
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:40 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A brief landspout tornado was observed 15 miles east-southeast of Crownpoint.
A dry thunderstorm produced a brief downburst wind gust up to 59 mph along Interstate 40 near NM-6.
The Tucumcari airport reported a peak wind gust up to 59 mph.
A roof was ripped off of a dairy barn and windows were blown out of a nearby house along Ojibwa Road and U.S. Highway 285. Damage amounts are a rough estimate for roof and window damage.
Nickel size hail reported at Ojibwa Road and NM-2.
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 historyThe tornado archive for New Mexico, 2019Warnings in New Mexico, May 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: 817490, 817491, 817492, 817493, 817494.