An active pattern over New Mexico continued over March 16-17, 2021 as another strong winter storm system impacted the state. As the low pressure system and its associated cold front tracked eastward across New Mexico, westerly winds strengthened across much of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 active pattern over New Mexico continued over March 16-17, 2021 as another strong winter storm system impacted the state. As the low pressure system and its associated cold front tracked eastward across New Mexico, westerly winds strengthened across much of the area. Due to a potent upper-level jet, the strongest winds were observed across eastern and southern New Mexico. Areas of snow also increased across northern New Mexico with mountain locations receiving about 5 to 8 inches of snow. The biggest impacts were felt across the northeast corner of the state where the combination of snow and strong winds resulted in blizzard conditions. These blizzard conditions resulted in severe driving conditions and the closure of U.S. Highway 64 from Raton to Clayton.
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 Mar 16, 9:13 AM MST, 2 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1013 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021 .UPDATE... Quick 1st period update to increase wind speeds from the southwest mountains, northeast to near Las Vegas given some 12Z model data and timing of strongest winds aloft with daytime heating. Also included this area in the Wind Advisory. Will be evaluating northeast and portions of east central NM for winter highlights for issuance with the afternoon package. Otherwise, forecast on track. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...523 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021... .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE A mix of spring winds and winter weather to impact terminals through the TAF period. VFR will prevail through to about 17Z before a strong Pacific cold front brings strong wly winds and sn across the AZ/NM border to KFMN-KGUP. A brief period of reduced cigs and vis to accompany this fropa, mainly along the continental divide and KGUP. This strong wly wind shift reaches to KABQ-KAEG-KSAF by ~20Z while strong swly winds strengthen over the eastern plains at KROW-KTCC- KLVS. Locally reduced vis from bldu across the eastern plains will be possible Tuesday afternoon and have introduced this at KROW given the swly wind orientation in relation to known dust sources near that terminal. Snow and mtn obscurations will be focused over the northern mountains during the afternoon before winter impacts with reduced IFR vis and blsn develop over far northeastern NM by 03Z-06Z. Localized blizzard conditions are possible from KRTN-KCAO by this time. Uncertainty remains for winter impacts reaching south to KTCC, but rain is the likely precip. type at this time. Nevertheless, strong winds and reduced vis expected to reach KTCC within the final 6 hours of the TAF period. Strong wly to nwly winds remain elevated to strong through the TAF period, but will begin to decrease from their peaks as the upper low exits into TX. 24 && .PREV DISCUSSION...307 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021... .SYNOPSIS... Oh the fun we have in the spring time! The next storm in a series of storms arrives today and departs late Wednesday. During this time we will have wind advisories, high wind warnings, winter weather advisories, maybe winter storm warnings and perhaps even blizzard warnings! The storm will be near Albuquerque this evening, it will continue to move east into the TX Panhandle tonight and into OK Wednesday. Left behind will be snow over the northern mountains and east, and maybe some wind damage and high snow drifts from blizzard conditions in the far northeast. Thursday through Saturday will be dry and milder. The next storm is poised to impact NM Sunday through Monday, while yet another storm for the middle of next week. 40 && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... A complex mix of windy spring and winter impacts is set to impact most of northern and central NM today through Wednesday. A 538dm H5 low located west of the area just south of Las Vegas, NV will track eastward over AZ this morning. It's associated Pacific front is progged to reach the NM border with a strong and brisk westerly wind shift and snow near the noon hour. Downsloping east of the divide will limit precipitation as this front pushes into the Rio Grande Valley during the afternoon period. Meanwhile, a diffluent area over the northern mountains accompanied by enough instability should allow for a few rumbles of thunder over the northern mountains during the afternoon hours. Snow chances will steadily taper off over western NM through the afternoon. Ahead of this front, southwesterly winds will strengthen over central and eastern NM. This will be highlighted by a strong 50-60kt H7 jetmax rounding the southeast periphery of the low, and daytime mixing will tap into some of this momentum transport. At the same time, a deepening lee surface low over northeastern NM will also act to enhance surface wind speeds through the eastern plains as well, and have gone ahead and trended winds higher over the Sacramento's and adjacent high plains through eastern Lincoln and Chaves Counties upgrading the Wind Advisory to a High Wind Warning there. Blowing dust will be another feature across east-central and southeastern NM thanks to the strong winds and warm temperatures again. Conditions only become all the more interesting after 00Z as the low tracks eastward over east-central NM and to the TX border by 06Z. The leading edge of a strong backdoor front massing at the CO border all day will finally charge forth into northeastern NM during this time. Accompanied by wrap around moisture north of the low center, moderate to heavy snow and strong northerly winds will create the likelihood for blizzard conditions along the Raton Pass and Johnson/Bartlett Mesas eastward into northern Union County. Will continue the Winter Storm Watch as is for now with mention of blizzard conditions. Uncertainty lays further south, particularly with snow amounts in the Far Northeast Highlands along I-25 south of Raton thanks to the lack of a favorable easterly upslope component. But will enough wrap around moisture make its way to this area to overcome this? Temperatures are also in question through Quay County with the arrival of the backdoor fropa, near to below freezing in higher res model solutions and closer to 40F in the NAM and GFS. Thoughts are leaning closer to a the need for a High Wind Warning for Quay County Tuesday night, but will punt to the day shift to get one more look for potential winter impacts there instead. The low exits through the TX Panhandle during the day Wednesday with winter and wind impacts lessening gradually over eastern NM through the day. 24 LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... In the wake of the storm it will be chilly Wednesday night with winds calming way down. High pressure will bring dry and milder weather for Thursday through Saturday. But then it's back to precipitation, strong winds and cooler temperatures Sunday and Monday. Yet another storm could arrive late Tuesday or Wednesday and remain through Thursday. 40/24 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...RED FLAG WARNING FOR THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT TUESDAY... A strong upper low will cross New Mexico today bringing strong winds to most areas through the day. Strong southwest winds will peak over southeastern NM today, with strong north to northwest winds surging through northeastern NM behind a backdoor front tonight through Wednesday. Critical fire weather will be present over the east- central plains this afternoon where the strong southwesterly winds combine with warmer than normal temperatures, high Haines near Haines6, and low minimum humidity in the single-digits to low teens. Meanwhile, winter impacts are expected to reach areas along and west of the continental divide by noon today, spreading to the northern mountains this afternoon. Blizzard conditions are likely to reach far northeastern NM tonight, with cold and windy weather spreading through the eastern plains through Wednesday morning. As windy and winter conditions taper off by the end of Wednesday, a high pressure ridge moves in from the west with warmer and calmer weather expected through the rest of the work week. Temperatures steadily warm as southwesterly transport winds strengthen day to day improving ventilation. 24 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 6 AM MDT Wednesday for the following zones... NMZ208-220-222>225-235>237-241. Winter Storm Watch from 6 PM MDT this evening through Wednesday morning for the following zones... NMZ227-230. High Wind Warning until 6 AM MDT Wednesday for the following zones... NMZ226-238>240. Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ108. Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Wednesday for the following zones... NMZ210-211-213>215. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 539 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021 NMZ201>241-171300- 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- 539 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A High Wind Warning is in effect for the south central mountains and adjacent southeastern plains of eastern Lincoln and Chaves Counties. Strong winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph will be possible starting mid to late morning and lasting through the afternoon. Adjoining Wind Advisories are also in effect for the southeastern plains and Upper Tularosa Valley and south central highlands. Strong winds will likely produce blowing dust by the mid to late afternoon. Strong winds turn northwesterly to northerly overnight through northeastern and east-central NM. A Red Flag Warning is in effect today for the east central plains where low humidities combined with strong winds will create critical fire weather conditions. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for tonight for the Raton Pass and Johnson/Bartlett Mesas and Union County where strong winds with gusts up to 60 mph will combine with moderate to heavy snow to produce winter and blizzard like impacts, peaking in intensity this evening into early Wednesday morning. These impacts could stretch further south into Harding and northern Quay Counties. Meanwhile, Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the northern mountains where moderate snowfall will create slick travel conditions. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. However, weather can change very rapidly. Always use the latest forecasts, watches and warnings for planning purposes. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report snowfall amounts through the National Weather Service Albuquerque web site at weather.gov/abq or by calling 1.888.386.7637. 24
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 954 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021 NMZ202-204>207-162100- Chuska Mountains-Northwest Highlands-West Central Plateau- West Central Mountains-West Central Highlands- 954 AM MDT Tue Mar 16 2021 ...BRIEF WINTER IMPACTS TO ACCOMPANY A POTENT PACIFIC COLD FRONT THROUGH WEST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AND THE NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS LATE THIS MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON... A potent Pacific cold front will bring a sharp and cold westerly wind shift by late morning, accompanied by a brief period of moderate snowfall. Visibilities could temporarily dip to a mile or less, combined with slick roads at the Continental Divide along Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 550. Conditions are expected to steadily clear through the afternoon period. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Allow extra travel time to your destinations and put extra distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. 24/15
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind, 4 heavy snow, 1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
An AWOS station near Ruidoso measured several hours of sustained wind speeds of 40 to 48 mph.
A RAWS station near Dunken measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph.
An ASOS station in Roswell measured several hours of sustained winds of 40 to 46 mph.
An AWOS station near Ruidoso measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
Various sources across the Sandia and Manzano Mountains reported 6 to 8 inches of snow.
A RAWS station near Dunken measured a 42 mph sustained wind.
An ASOS station in Roswell measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.
Various sources across the Raton Pass area received 3 to 5 inches of snow. The combination of heavy snow and strong winds resulted in severe driving conditions, and U.S. Highway 64 was closed from Raton to Clayton.
Various sources across Union County received about 4 to 5 inches of snow. The combination of heavy snow and strong winds resulted in blizzard conditions across the area. Severe driving conditions resulted in the closure of U.S. Highway 64 from Raton to Clayton.
A CoCoRaHS observer near Newkirk measured 9.1 inches of snow.
A weather station near Corona measured a peak wind speed of 58 mph.
A trained spotter near Broadview reported 6 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, March 2021
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: 938094, 938108, 938099, 938096, 938083, 938107, 938101, 938085, 938087, 938088, 938105, 938089.