An upper level storm system that shifted quickly east across northern New Mexico with strengthening surface low pressure over the plains produced high winds along parts of the Interstate 40 corridor on January 1, 2020. The typical wind prone locations from near Clines Corners to Santa Rosa and Vaughn reported sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
An upper level storm system that shifted quickly east across northern New Mexico with strengthening surface low pressure over the plains produced high winds along parts of the Interstate 40 corridor on January 1, 2020. The typical wind prone locations from near Clines Corners to Santa Rosa and Vaughn reported sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph. The strongest wind gust of 64 mph was reported at Clines Corners.
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 1, 4:48 AM MST, 5 hours 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 448 AM MST Wed Jan 1 2020 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE Weather conditions will begin to deteriorate across northern and central New Mexico late today and more-so into tonight as an upper level trough approaches. Winds will strengthen and turn gusty this afternoon along and east of the central mountain chain with areas near KCQC, KSXU, KTCC, and KCVN observing occasional gusts of 35 to 45 kt. These winds will gradually degrease this evening, but ceilings will begin lowering in northwestern New Mexico, spreading southeastward into the morning Thursday. Snow showers will also break out in northwest New Mexico, working toward central parts of the state by daybreak Thursday where MVFR to IFR ceilings and visibility will ensue in snow showers. 52 && .PREV DISCUSSION...231 AM MST Wed Jan 1 2020... .SYNOPSIS... Strong westerly winds will impact east-central New Mexico from Clines Corners to the TX border with 25 to 35 mph winds and gusts upwards of 50 mph this afternoon. Daytime highs also warm above normal toward the upper 50s across eastern NM today, remaining cooler in the upper 30s for western and northern NM, with 40s for the Rio Grande Valley. A fast moving winter weather system will bring some snow showers for portions of western and northern NM this evening, shifting toward eastern NM Thursday. There may be some visibility reductions from moderate to heavier snow showers, however accumulations are expected to be light. This will also bring colder temperatures Thursday and Friday before warmer weather returns this weekend. && .DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... Weather conditions deteriorate for some areas today, and then for all remaining locations within the forecast area tonight as perturbed northwest flow arrives. By this afternoon the Pacific low will swing over the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, filling in a few decameters as it does so. Upstream, a vigorous westerly jet will re-orient itself, diving into the western ConUS. Model projections of 160 to 180 kt at 300 mb are shown to dive southeastward over the Great Basin by late this afternoon. While speeds at this level will be much lower over NM, west northwest winds will be fairly strong, especially near and downwind of the central mountain chain. The deepening lee side surface trough is expected to assist these strong winds in mixing surfaceward with gusty conditions along and east of the central mountains/highlands where a wind advisory will be issued for today. Temperatures will observe notable rises in eastern zones due to compressional warming from the downsloping winds while remaining areas will have more tempered increases. As the aforementioned jet continues to work farther into the western states, the flow will buckle with vorticity lobes rushing toward NM tonight. This will spread light precipitation into NM tonight into Thursday with a brief-lived closed low potentially taking shape over the state on Thursday when the base of the trough is moving through. The majority of forecast models have backed off further on QPF, but the NAM and HREF are now significantly more aggressive and generous with precipitation amounts. The current QPF in our forecast package and that of WPC has nudged slightly toward the wetter NAM/HREF, but overall this still appears to be a fairly light snow (and afternoon rain in eastern plains) event. Snow accumulations of a couple to a few inches (mostly over high terrain) seem within reason. Cooler air will also spill into the state late tonight into Thursday with daytime highs running generally 5 to 15 degrees below average Thursday. LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... Thursday's winter system will be replaced by stout N/NNW flow setting up over NM continuing to bring in colder air. This will limit daytime heating Friday keeping highs from warming much over their Thursday levels. A flattening ridge moves over NM Saturday with a lee side sfc trough producing downsloping westerlies through east-central NM. These two features will warm temperatures considerably for Saturday with highs near normal across the west in the upper 40s to low 50s, and above normal for the east in the upper 50s to low 60s. Zonal flow sets up aloft Sunday with an embedded wave moving through the northern Great Plains sending down a backdoor front into eastern NM. This will drop highs there back into the 50s for many areas without much effect on sensible weather elsewhere in the state. Differences remain with long range models solution of the next weather system either clipping northern NM (GFS) or bringing more notable precipitation as a deeper trof (ECMWF). Ensemble mean solutions of both the GFS and ECMWF show a progressive trof moving through without much fanfare other than a drop in temperatures. Have left in the drop in temperatures for early next week while only leaving a slight chance for the northern mountains near the CO border. 52/24 && .FIRE WEATHER... Temperatures rise today, especially in the eastern plains where the gusty downsloping winds will develop, and this will yield much lower minimum RH this afternoon. The northeastern to east central plains of NM are still forecast to observe minimum RH values of 15 to 20 percent this afternoon, and the strongest winds are expected to stretch along and near the I-40 corridor from Clines Corners to Tucumcari (and toward Clovis). The partial juxtaposition of these elements will create a couple hours of near-critical conditions near the I-40 corridor where gusts to 35 to 45 mph will be common. Into tonight and Thursday, the arrival of the cold front and accompanying precipitation will alleviate any critical fire weather concerns. As drier conditions return for the end of the week, temperatures will also return to, and even exceed, normal by the weekend. Breezy conditions could develop along/near the central mountain chain this weekend, but no definitively strong wind events are expected, and poor smoke ventilation will likely linger. Model uncertainties in the extended are present, but for now the mostly dry forecast will hold with periods of breeziness expected next week. 52 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 9 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ233>235. Wind Advisory until 9 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ223. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 232 AM MST Wed Jan 1 2020 NMZ201>241-021200- 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- 232 AM MST Wed Jan 1 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong west winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph will produce strong head winds along the I-40 corridor from Clines Corners to the Texas border. Winds will increase this morning, peaking in the afternoon before tapering off through the evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday A fast moving winter weather system will move through New Mexico from northwest to southeast Thursday, bringing sudden drops in temperature and brisk northwest winds. Light snow accumulations will also accompany this system with the potential for sudden drops in visibility in any snow shower. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. 24
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The CSBF Transwestern Pump Station reported sustained winds between 40 mph and 46 mph periodically for several hours.
The NMCC weather station at Mesa reported a peak wind gust up to 60 mph.
Peak wind gusts between 58 mph and 64 mph were reported for several hours at Clines Corners.
Sustained winds between 40 mph and 43 mph were reported periodically for several hours at Clines Corners.
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, January 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: 863639, 863638, 863636, 863637.