Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, April 13 to 14, 2020

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Mexico, April 13 to 14, 2020
Start: 2020-04-13T00:00
End: 2020-04-14T04:00
Location: New Mexico

April 13 to 14, 2020 · NWS ABQ · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.

An unseasonably cold airmass moved into New Mexico in the wake of a fast-moving upper level trough and associated cold front on April 12, 2020. A second upper level low pressure system then surged south through the central Rockies and into western New Mexico early on April 13, 2020. The combination of unseasonably cold air across the state with abundant moisture allowed widespread rain and snow to develop along the I-40 corridor from western New Mexico across the central mountain chain and into portions of eastern New Mexico. Snowfall amounts were heavy for mid April with several locations reporting in excess of eight inches, especially from the Jemez Mountains southeast into the Sandia and Manzano mountains. Difficult travel conditions were reported in many areas, particularly the higher terrain. Strong surface high pressure building into the state behind this system led to some record cold low temperatures and a hard freeze in many areas that had not seen freezing temperatures in several weeks.

What forecasters said that day

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 12, 10:31 PM MST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 10:31 PM MST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
1131 PM MDT Sun Apr 12 2020

.AVIATION...
06Z TAF CYCLE
Deteriorating conditions are forecast overnight through Monday
morning, with widespread MVFR conditions forecast in rain and snow.
Brief IFR conditions are possible at KGUP, KAEG, KABQ and KSAF and
are most likely at KLVS. Improvement Monday afternoon will be slow
at best. KROW is forecast to remain VFR through the TAF period.
Mountain obscurations will be widespread and will continue through
the TAF period.

11

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...330 PM MDT Sun Apr 12 2020...
.SYNOPSIS...
Windy conditions will diminish this evening as rain and snow
increase over much of northern and central New Mexico. Chances for
rain and snow will increase Monday and Monday night, with the
Interstate 40 corridor favored for accumulating snow, as well as the
West Central, Jemez, southern Sangre de Cristo and Sandia/Manzano
Mountains. Northeast and east central New Mexico may also see
accumulating snow Monday and Monday night. Temperatures will be
unseasonably cold, with widespread freezing lows Monday through
Wednesday. In fact, the Albuquerque metro may see a hard freeze
Tuesday night. Drier air starts to work into the region Wednesday,
with a gradual warm up into Thursday. Another cold front may impact
the east late this week, while another storm system passes over
northern New Mexico Saturday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT)... Winds will weaken
across northeast and east central NM later this afternoon and it's
expected that the Wind Advisory will be cancelled by 4pm. Meanwhile,
sprinkles and virga have developed west of the front, and these may
produce some gusty and erratic winds through the evening.

An east to west baroclinic zone will develop late tonight and
strengthen into Monday across central NM. This combined with low
level upslope flow across the east slopes of the central mountain
chain will lead to a band or bands of precipitation. Snow levels
will drop to the surface tonight along and east of the central
mountain chain in the wake of today's cold front, while snow levels
will hover around 6-7kft across the west. Expect the greatest snow
accumulations across western NM over the Zuni Mtns, though there
could be some minor impacts along the I-40 corridor across the
ContDvd. The greatest snow impacts are expected east of the central
mtn chain where a few to several inches of snow are likely. Have
issued Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings where
greatest confidence exists, though advisories may need to be
expanded across northeast NM for Monday night as the snow shifts
eastward with the approach of a shortwave trough. For the ABQ Metro,
mostly rain is expected, though a few flakes aren't out of the
question. An inch or two of snow is probable across the Santa Fe
Metro.

A hard freeze remains on tap for much of eastern NM tonight, and
then again Monday night, though on Monday night, freezing
temperatures are also likely for the Albuquerque Metro. This would
be the first freeze for the ABQ Metro since March 28th.

LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...

Precipitation to taper off from west to east by Tuesday, but
possibly lingers in the east Tuesday night into early Wednesday,
although amounts appear to be light. Temperatures generally trend
warmer Wednesday through Thursday but remain below normal. The GFS
which yesterday backed off on a late week cold front in the east
Thursday/Friday has changed it's tune today. The front has returned
but doesn't appear as if there will be much if any precipitation
associated with it, or that much of a cool down, based on the latest
temperature guidance. The weather will remain cooler than normal
through Saturday when another storm may track from west to east over
northern NM. An active pattern appears possible for early next week.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
A band, or bands, of precipitation will develop tonight and persist
into Monday near and either side of I-40. Accumulating snow will be
favored above 7000 feet as well as areas along and east of the
central mountain chain. Precipitation will shift across northeast NM
Monday night before diminishing for Tuesday. Well below normal
temperatures are expected for Monday, and freezing temperatures are
expected for much of the area Monday night. Cold temperatures will
persist on Tuesday, and excellent radiational cooling will lead to a
hard freeze for most areas Tuesday night. A considerable warm-up is
expected for Wednesday, but another back door cold front is expected
on Thursday. A quiet Friday is in store with shortwave ridging
overhead. Unsettled weather is possible for Saturday as an upper
level low fills and moves across northern NM. Strong winds on the
south side of the system will raise concerns for critical fire
weather conditions, though some precipitation will be possible for
northern areas.

34

&&

.ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MDT Monday night for the
following zones... NMZ206-212-214-215-221-222-229-233.

Winter Storm Warning until midnight MDT Monday night for the
following zones... NMZ223.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 12, 10:57 AM MST, 13 hours 3 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
1157 AM MDT Sun Apr 12 2020

NMZ201>241-131200-
Northwest Plateau-Chuska Mountains-Far Northwest Highlands-
Northwest Highlands-West Central Plateau-West Central Mountains-
West Central Highlands-Southwest Mountains-
San Francisco River Valley-Tusas Mountains Including Chama-
Jemez Mountains-Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass-
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains-
Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains-
East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains-Upper Rio Grande Valley-
Espanola Valley-Santa Fe Metro Area-
Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area-
Lower Rio Grande Valley-Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood-
Estancia Valley-Central Highlands-South Central Highlands-
Upper Tularosa Valley-South Central Mountains-
Johnson and Bartlett Mesas Including Raton Pass-
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-
San Agustin Plains and Adjacent Lowlands-
1157 AM MDT Sun Apr 12 2020

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central
New Mexico.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Strong northwest winds will develop today with gusts between 45 and
50 mph across the Central Highlands, while north to northeast winds
across far northeast and east central New Mexico with equally strong
gusts.

A round of precipitation will hit western and northern New Mexico
today through Monday night with lowering snow levels and the
potential for several inches of snow accumulation from the Sangre de
Cristo Mountains southward across the Sandia and Manzano Mountains
and Central Highlands. Accumulating snows are also likely across the
west central mountains. Deteriorating road conditions are possible
tonight, including along the I-40 corridor from the Sandia Mountains
to Santa Rosa.

Additionally, freezing temperatures are expected for much of eastern
New Mexico tonight, with several locations likely to experience a
hard freeze.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday

Areas of rain and snow above about 6500 feet will continue to favor
an east to west swath across central areas of the state. Accumulating
snow will favor higher elevations of the western and northern
mountains as well areas from the east slopes of the central mountain
chain eastward to the central and northeast highlands. Travel may be
impacted at times Monday and Monday night from Tijeras Canyon
eastward to Clines Corners as well as along I-25 from near Glorieta
Pass to Raton Pass. Widespread freezing temperatures are likely for
much of the forecast area again Monday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report strong wind and snow amounts
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 radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter weather, 4 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, West Central Mountains

When: April 13, 12:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: West Central Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.821, -107.693 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches were reported along the Continental Divide of western New Mexico. El Morro National Monument reported a new record daily snowfall of 4.7 inches for April 13th. Records date back to 1938. Difficult travel conditions were reported across parts of the area.

Winter Storm, Central Highlands

When: April 13, 12:00 AM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where: Central Highlands forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 35.209, -105.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 6 inches. The Pedernal COOP observer reported a new record daily snowfall of 4.4 inches for April 14th. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area.

Heavy Snow, Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass

When: April 13, 12:00 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where: Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 35.494, -105.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall amounts of 5 to 8 inches fell around Pecos and Glorieta. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area through the morning of the 14th.

Heavy Snow, Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood

When: April 13, 12:00 AM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where: Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 35.121, -106.434 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches fell within the Sandia and Manzano mountains. The heaviest snow impacted the area between Edgewood and Sandia Park where around one foot was reported. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area through the morning of the 14th.

Heavy Snow, Jemez Mountains

When: April 13, 12:00 AM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where: Jemez Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 36.023, -106.622 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snowfall amounts of 6 to 18 inches fell within the Jemez Mountains. The heaviest snow impacted the area between the Valles Caldera and Wolf Canyon. Difficult driving conditions were reported across the area.

Winter Weather, Santa Fe Metro Area

When: April 13, 1:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Santa Fe Metro Area forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 35.416, -106.504 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches were reported in the Santa Fe metro area. Difficult driving conditions were reported over parts of the area.

Heavy Snow, Curry County

When: April 13, 2:00 AM MST to April 14, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Curry County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.574, -103.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches across Curry County. The heavier amounts fell around Clovis.

Winter Weather, Roosevelt County

When: April 13, 3:00 AM MST to April 14, 4:00 AM MST
Where: Roosevelt County forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.021, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts within Roosevelt County varied from 2 to 4 inches. The COOP observer in Portales reported a new record daily snowfall of 1.0 inch for April 14th. Records date back to 1905.

Winter Weather, De Baca County

When: April 13, 4:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where: De Baca County forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.342, -104.412 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts within De Baca County varied from 1 to 4 inches. The COOP observer in Yeso reported a new record daily snowfall of 1.5 inches for April 13th and a new record daily snowfall of 2.4 inches for April 14th. Records date back to 1942.

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Mexico in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in New Mexico, April 2020

Sources

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: 876234, 876240, 876247, 876248, 877690, 876249, 876246, 876242, 876235.