An active stretch of severe weather across eastern New Mexico continued on May 17, 2021 with a significant severe weather outbreak that included multiple tornadoes. As a potent low pressure system approached the state, instability and shear increased across the area, providing a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 stretch of severe weather across eastern New Mexico continued on May 17, 2021 with a significant severe weather outbreak that included multiple tornadoes. As a potent low pressure system approached the state, instability and shear increased across the area, providing a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms. Convective initiation started by late Monday morning over the high terrain of New Mexico. Steering flow generally moved the storms in a northeasterly direction where they intensified over the plains. Several reports of hail and severe winds were received as well as multiple tornado reports. Two supercell tornadoes occurred across eastern New Mexico, but no damage occurred. The environment was even favorable for tornadoes in central New Mexico where three landspout tornadoes were confirmed.
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 17, 10:32 AM MST, 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1132 AM MDT Mon May 17 2021 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE Aggravated cu development is beginning this hour along the central mtn chain, expected to expand over the eastern plains by 19Z and through the afternoon. Scattered strong to severe storms are expected across the eastern plains today in the area from K0E0-KCVN northward. Storms are expected to quickly move newd through the afternoon producing erratic gusty winds and frequent lightning. Severe hail and damaging winds could accompany any of the strong to severe storms from 21Z to 03Z over eastern NM. Isolated to scattered storms along and west of the Rio Grande will be on the dry side, still capable of producing erratic gusty winds during the mid to late afternoon period. Convection will taper off through the evening with light prevailing winds expected. Will need to watch for the potential for the return of MVFR/IFR cigs for some eastern plains terminals overnight. An upper low to the west today is expected to pass just north of NM Tuesday, bringing a nwly wind shift and showers across the northern mtns by the end of the TAF period. 24 && .PREV DISCUSSION...304 AM MDT Mon May 17 2021... .SYNOPSIS... A Pacific low will move slowly east across the Land of Enchantment through Tuesday night, bringing cooler conditions and rounds of showers and storms that will favor the northern mountains and northeast and east central plains. Severe storms are possible again today across the plains near the Texas border, with large hail damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes possible. Expect some mid week warming with a break from showers and storms by Thursday. A larger Pacific low will drop into the Great Basin toward the end of the work week and move slowly east across the Intermountain West, bringing stronger winds over New Mexico and drawing Gulf moisture into the eastern half of the state. This pattern setup will bring the potential for severe thunderstorms from Friday through the weekend, potentially as far east as the Rio Grande Valley, with strong winds closer to the Arizona border. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... The backdoor front across northeast and east central New Mexico should reach the central mountain chain by sunrise, with a weak gap wind in the middle Rio Grande Valley. It will be another active day across eastern New Mexico, as the surface boundary will help to trigger afternoon showers and thunderstorms across the eastern plains. The nearly 3000 J/kg of MLCAPE, steep mid-level lapse rates, and 40-50 kts 0-6 km bulk shear will be conducive to supercell formation. The main activity is likely to occur between 21-03z, with large hail and damaging winds being the main threats. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out given the 200 m2 s-2 0-1 km storm relative helicity. Our neighboring office in Pueblo has issued a Flash Flood Watch for portions of the Sangres due to potential burn scar flooding, but confidence is low at this time for flooding threats to the Ute Park Burn Scar. Convection will continue late into the night before moving off eastward into Texas. Across the west, it's a different story. Southwest winds will strengthen this afternoon ahead of an upper-level low arriving from the Great Basin. A few storms are possible, but may be a mix of wet and dry with gusty, erratic winds. The low will reach the Four Corners region by mid-day today and continue to slowly trek across the state on Tuesday. With some moist return flow, another round of showers and thunderstorms will be possible across the higher terrain and across northeast NM on Tuesday afternoon. Storms may become strong, but given the lack of shear, the main activity should occur further to the east. LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)... A round of convection favoring the northern mountains and northeast will continue Tuesday night as the Pacific low moves slowly east out of the southern Rockies and New Mexico. Shortwave ridging and some warming will follow the departing low on Wednesday, but sufficient moisture will remain for a round of daytime heating triggered convection once again favoring the northern mountains and northeast. The remainder of the forecast will involve another Pacific low, but much larger, more potent and slower moving than the first. The upper low will move from the Pacific NW to the Great Basin on Thursday, initially steering dry air over the region and scouring our moisture out somewhat. Just as quickly, the low will draw Gulf moisture north over the eastern half of the state leading to the first of many rounds of storms going into the weekend. Strong winds will be steered over the state as well, with windy conditions forecast from Thursday through Sunday. The latest 00Z GFS is very bullish with the moisture, bringing it into the RGV over the weekend and potentially bringing a shot at storms. Otherwise, we'll likely be looking at several days in a row of severe thunderstorms across eastern New Mexico, with fire weather concerns closer to the Arizona border. The upper low/trough is forecast to kick-out toward the Rockies on Sunday, which may bring the highest probabilities for severe weather due to the additional forcing. 31/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... With a boundary slung across northeast and east central NM, showers and thunderstorms should once again fire up this afternoon. Some of these storms may become strong to severe across the far eastern counties. Elsewhere, showers and thunderstorms across western and central portions of the state will be a mix of wet and dry storms with gusty, erratic winds possible. Brief critical fire weather conditions may be possible across southeastern areas as southwesterlies strengthen ahead of an upper low. The low will cross over central areas of the state late tonight, slowly shift eastward, and exit by late Tuesday. With residual low-level moisture in place, this should trigger showers and thunderstorms across the high terrain Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be a brief break on Thursday as drier air filters into the state. Another storm system approaches by Friday and crosses to our north late week, leading to a potential round of critical fire weather conditions Friday through Sunday across western zones, as southwest winds strengthen. Across the east, a dryline may trigger daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms Friday through Sunday afternoons. 31 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 405 AM MDT Mon May 17 2021 NMZ201>241-181000- 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- 405 AM MDT Mon May 17 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening across the east central and northeast plains, where large hail, damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes are possible. Burn scar flooding is possible, mainly on the Ute Park burn area due to the potential for a couple rounds of storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms are possible Friday through the weekend, mainly from the central mountain chain east to the Texas border. Burn scar flooding is possible as well. Strong winds will impact western New Mexico Saturday and Sunday, when a Wind Advisory may be required. In addition, critical fire weather condtions are possible across far western New Mexico Saturday and Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required this afternoon and evening for the east central and northeast plains due to severe thunderstorms. Contact local law enforcement or the National Weather Service at 1.888.386.7637 to report severe weather. 11
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:42 UTC.
8 hail, 5 tornado, 1 funnel cloud, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A member of the public reported a landspout tornado near Abo, but no damage was reported.
A member of the public in Red River reported penny size hail from a strong thunderstorm.
A social media user caught video of a brief landspout from a weak thunderstorm near Bosque Farms. No damage was reported.
A trained spotter measured one inch hail from a severe thunderstorm near Los Cerrillos. The severe thunderstorms also produced deep hail accumulations along Interstate 25 with multiple spotters reporting hail depths ranging from one to three inches.
A funnel cloud from a strong thunderstorm was spotted near the Santa Fe airport. The funnel cloud never touched down, and no damage was reported.
A member of the public reported a landspout tornado from a thunderstorm near Kewa Pueblo. The landspout developed on the southwest side of the storm and tracked northwest for approximately eight minutes. No damage was reported.
A trained spotter estimated penny size hail from a strong thunderstorm near Agua Fria.
A trained spotter estimated one inch hail from a severe thunderstorm near Los Cerrillos. The spotter reported that the hail broke a skylight and also stripped leaves from their trees. Damages are estimated for the damage to the skylight.
A trained spotter estimated nickel size hail from a strong thunderstorm near Vaughn. A travel camera indicated that hail had accumulated along U.S. Highway 285, but no impacts were reported.
A trained spotter estimated one inch hail from a severe thunderstorm in Yeso.
A trained spotter estimated penny size hail from a strong thunderstorm southeast of Santa Fe.
A trained spotter reported nickel size hail from a strong thunderstorm near House.
An ASOS station in Las Vegas measured a 59 mph wind gust from a severe thunderstorm.
Multiple spotters reported a brief tornado north of Melrose. No damage was reported.
A supercell near Nara Visa spawned a brief tornado which tracked northwest for approximately ten minutes. No damage was reported.
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 historyThe tornado archive for New Mexico, 2021Warnings in New Mexico, May 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: 949929, 949590, 949933, 949592, 949971, 949943, 949596, 949597, 949595, 949593, 949598, 949599, 949600, 949945, 949947.