A strong jet stream approaching New Mexico from the northwest allowed surface low pressure to deepen over the eastern plains on April 23, 2020. Widespread west to northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph were common across the state.
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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.
A strong jet stream approaching New Mexico from the northwest allowed surface low pressure to deepen over the eastern plains on April 23, 2020. Widespread west to northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph were common across the state. The strongest winds impacted the area around Clines Corners where a peak wind gust of 59 mph 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 Apr 23, 1:47 PM MST, 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 247 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2020 .SYNOPSIS... The warming continues today, with breezy to windy conditions prevailing. A weak cold front will move through overnight and provide a couple degrees of cooling going into Friday, with more breezy to windy conditions expected by afternoon. Look for a warming trend over the weekend and into early next week, although a backdoor cold front will move down the eastern plains Friday night into Saturday and provide several degrees of cooling. Temperatures will be above normal areawide by Sunday, then rise to challenge daily record highs for Monday and Tuesday of next week. Another backdoor cold front will cool down the eastern half of the state on Wednesday, with even warmer temperatures forecast to end the work week. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)... Water vapor imagery and GOES high density winds still show a strong jet core approaching NM from the northwest this afternoon. Surface winds have been slow to increase across the region with thicker mid level clouds developing over much of northern NM. The 20Z LAVMOS is still in line with a punch of stronger west-northwest winds aft 22Z at several sites however confidence is decreasing given latest obs, lighter 12Z METMOS trends, and weaker mid level winds on latest RAP bufr profiles. Nonetheless, will continue the Wind Advisory however an early cancellation is entirely possible. A deeper dry airmass will shift through northern NM Friday in the wake of the departing upper jet axis. This will continue the threat for strong northwest winds in the corridor from near KFMN to KABQ and KCQC. Guidance trended winds lighter for Friday however given the slower increase in winds today it's possible winds will trend stronger again Friday. A back door cold front will also move thru eastern NM with a northerly wind shift, slightly higher humidity, and cooler temps. Winds are likely to decrease quickly on Friday evening as surface high pressure builds over the state. Stronger radiational cooling will trend low temps closer to normal for late April. LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... A weak shortwave trough embedded in northwest flow aloft will eject out of the southern Rockies Saturday and may generate a few showers or storms across the northeast plains/highlands. Otherwise, breezy to locally windy conditions are forecast Saturday, with continued warming across western NM. Dry westerlies will penetrate further east across the state Sunday, leading to continued warming and above normal temperatures areawide. Winds aloft begin to relax Monday and pressure heights increase further, allowing for more warming with temperatures approaching daily record highs at a few sites. An upper level ridge will build Monday night into Tuesday along the west coast and begin shifting east across the Intermountain West. Tuesday should be even warmer, with a number of sites potentially challenging daily record highs. A backdoor cold front will slide down the eastern plains Tuesday evening and provide several degrees of cooling going into Wednesday across eastern NM. Temperatures will bounce back up Thursday as the upper level ridge axis shifts overhead. Guyer/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING IN CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES... Critical conditions are slow to develop today with widespread cloud cover developing along the northern flank of the Red Flag Warning. Winds are still likely to increase through late day however the I-40 corridor may only see marginal conditions today. A stronger pressure gradient on Friday with lower RH will lead to another few hours of marginal critical fire weather but temps will be cooler and Haines indices are still low to moderate. Confidence is not high enough for a Fire Wx Watch at this time for Friday. A back door cold front will move through eastern NM late tonight and Friday with cooler temps and higher RH for the eastern plains. The weekend will feature a slow warming trend with northwest flow gradually easing over the state. A couple northeast wind shifts will dip into far northeast NM with perhaps a few showers and storms near the CO border Saturday and Sunday. A significant warming trend with near record heat is on the way for next week as a strong upper level ridge builds west of NM. Min RH will be very low beneath the ridge which leads to large diurnal temperature swings and lighter winds each day. There are hints at a moist back door front Wednesday night or Thursday for eastern NM. Guyer && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE West to northwest winds will increase through early afternoon before peaking between 22Z and 02Z. The strongest wind gusts up to 40 kt will occur btwn KFMN southeast to KAEG and KCQC. Mid level clouds developing across northern NM will give way to a few gusty showers and perhaps a storm near the CO border and in the vcnty of KRTN and KCAO. Winds will taper off this evening but still remain gusty along east facing slopes with mt wave activity likely thru the overnight. Guyer && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 39 70 34 74 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 31 67 28 70 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 35 66 31 71 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 35 70 30 72 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 35 67 31 71 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 36 70 30 73 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 38 70 35 74 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 45 74 42 76 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 39 71 37 73 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 39 80 36 81 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 42 83 40 84 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 28 61 26 63 / 10 0 0 5 Los Alamos...................... 43 66 40 68 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 40 66 36 66 / 0 0 0 5 Cerro/Questa.................... 32 63 32 66 / 20 10 5 10 Red River....................... 29 54 25 57 / 30 20 5 10 Angel Fire...................... 27 57 21 60 / 20 10 5 10 Taos............................ 30 65 29 67 / 5 5 0 10 Mora............................ 37 64 33 66 / 0 5 0 10 Espanola........................ 41 71 38 74 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 40 67 39 69 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 39 70 36 72 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 48 72 46 75 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 49 74 44 76 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 47 76 41 79 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 49 74 44 77 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 47 78 39 80 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 46 74 41 78 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 46 76 38 79 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 46 75 40 78 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 45 76 38 80 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 46 71 44 74 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 47 74 42 77 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 50 82 45 82 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 45 67 41 70 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 45 70 41 72 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 43 68 37 72 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 38 71 32 74 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 39 67 34 69 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 45 70 39 72 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 44 71 39 72 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 50 75 45 76 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 48 70 41 70 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 34 59 30 62 / 30 20 10 20 Raton........................... 34 65 31 67 / 20 10 10 20 Springer........................ 35 68 33 68 / 5 10 5 10 Las Vegas....................... 37 68 32 67 / 0 0 5 5 Clayton......................... 42 66 38 64 / 20 10 10 20 Roy............................. 40 68 37 68 / 5 5 5 10 Conchas......................... 45 76 42 76 / 0 0 0 5 Santa Rosa...................... 47 76 42 75 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 46 77 42 75 / 0 0 0 5 Clovis.......................... 48 75 40 74 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 47 78 40 75 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 48 78 42 77 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 53 87 47 80 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 51 80 43 78 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 49 78 41 77 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ106>108. Wind Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ206-207-219-221-223-233. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 305 AM MDT Thu Apr 23 2020 NMZ201>241-241100- 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- 305 AM MDT Thu Apr 23 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Red Flag Warning is in effect for this afternoon and early evening for areas near and south of I-40 from the Rio Grande Valley eastward where low humidities combined with strong winds will create critical fire weather conditions. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Critical fire weather conditions may return on Friday afternoon for areas in a northwest to southeast corridor from near Farmington, to Albuquerque and Clines Corners to near Fort Sumner. The warmest temperatures of the year are expected early next week. Make sure you have a way to stay cool in the heat! .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Contact your local law enforcement at 911 and the National Weather Service at 1.888.386.7637 to report wildfires. 34
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Clines Corners 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 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2020
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: 877886.