A strong Pacific upper-level storm system moved inland onto the western United States coast early in the week of October 26, 2021. As it continued to strengthen as it dived southward into Nevada and southern California, it brought copious amounts of precipitation to the west coast.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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.
A strong Pacific upper-level storm system moved inland onto the western United States coast early in the week of October 26, 2021. As it continued to strengthen as it dived southward into Nevada and southern California, it brought copious amounts of precipitation to the west coast. Unfortunately, its track as it moved across the rest of the country took it over the central Rockies and to the north of New Mexico. This resulted in light rain and mountain snow across the northern half of the state with the biggest impact across the area being the very strong winds on October 26, 2021. As this system steered a strong upper-level jet stream across the state, winds strengthened with gusts generally ranging from 40 to 55 mph across much of northern and central New Mexico. Stronger wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were more common along the higher terrain areas and adjacent highlands. While high winds tapered off in the late evening hours, breezy to windy conditions persisted through the overnight hours and into the following 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 Oct 26, 4:21 AM MST, 4 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 521 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE A potent storm system and its associated cold front will bring windy conditions to much of the area today. Winds will first increase across western NM through the early morning hours and will then rapidly strengthen along and east of the central mountain chain by late morning where gusts around 40-50 knots are likely. An Airport Weather Warning is likely at KABQ this afternoon. Scattered rain showers and mountain snow will also increase in coverage across western and northern NM through the day which may result in reduced cigs/vsbys and mountain obscurations. Winds will gradually taper off after sunset, but breezy to windy conditions may persist afterwards, especially across the east where a backdoor cold front results in a northerly wind shift tonight. 15 && .PREV DISCUSSION...215 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021... .SYNOPSIS... A potent disturbance and associated cold front will race east across the region today, brining windy and colder conditions with a round of showers mainly to northwest and north central portions of the state. Below normal temperatures will prevail behind the front through Wednesday, with a warming trend following as temperatures rise back above normal areawide by Friday or Saturday. Breezy to windy conditions will persist Wednesday, before winds relax on Thursday and Friday. A strong backdoor cold front will bring colder conditions back to eastern and central New Mexico early next week, with some potential for precipitation near the Colorado border. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... The potent and dynamic storm system that has been impacting the western CONUS this week is currently positioned over SoCal & NV per this morning's water vapor imagery. This system will quickly be tracking northeastward over the central Rockies today, bringing cooler temperatures, precipitation, and wind to the area. The biggest impact felt from it will be the wind as a strong upper-level jet is steered over the state. 700mb winds will strengthen to about 50-60 knots as this SW-NE oriented jet crosses the state today, and these winds mixing down to the surface will result in widespread windy conditions. Winds will rapidly trend up across the west this morning before becoming more widespread by the lunch hour. The strongest winds are expected along and just east of the central mountain chain where a number of zones were upgraded to a High Wind Warning. Elsewhere, Wind Advisories are in effect for much of the remaining area with the exception being the northwest quadrant of the state. The system will quickly exit the area by late this evening, but strong northwest flow will be left in its wake. This will keep breezy conditions continuing after sunset, and the day shift may have to reevaluate if an extension of the highlights is necessary. Did opt to keep Union County in the Wind Advisory through early Wednesday morning as a backdoor cold front tonight is expected to help keep Wind Advisory criteria continuing overnight. Precipitation will also expand in coverage first along and west of the Continental Divide this morning and then over northern NM through the day. Deepest moisture associated with this system will be found along the NM/CO border, co-located with the better dynamics to produce precipitation. The track of this system with its center remaining to our north doesn't lend itself to much in the way of precipitation, but the northern and western high terrain could pick up amounts around 0.15" to 0.25". Snow levels will fall to around 7,500 feet behind the cold front, and a few inches of snow will be possible in the higher terrain. Forecast snow total amounts aren't impressive with the highest totals of 3-4" possible in the Tusas Mountains. With limited coverage of the possible 4", will forgo any winter weather highlights. Cooler temperatures are left behind in the wake of this system on Wednesday with brisk northwest flow keeping conditions breezy, especially across the east. LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)... A broad and somewhat low amplitude upper level ridge will build over the Desert Southwest Wednesday night into Thursday and slowly shift east across NM through Friday, brining warmer conditions and much lighter winds. Warming will continue into Saturday after the ridge flattens and is replaced with light westerlies. Temperatures will rise back above normal areawide by Friday or Saturday. A backdoor front will slide into the northeast and east central plains Saturday night into Sunday with limited cold air advection behind it. A much stronger push should arrive Monday and slide southwest through the central mountain chain to near the Continental Divide Monday night. The 00Z ECMWF and GFS are similar with the timing and both show a fairly cold airmass with a 1036mb surface high. The latest medium range model solutions differ with an upstream trough/low next Mon/Tue, but are both showing at least some potential for precipitation near the CO border. 15/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... A potent storm system will impact the area today, bringing cooler temperatures, precipitation, and wind to the area. Northwest winds will strengthen rapidly today with the strongest winds of 50-60 mph expected along and just east of the central mountain chain. Despite this, minRHs will remain above criteria today, helping to limit any critical fire weather concerns. Thus, will forgo any Red Flag Warnings today. Wetting precipitation won't be as widespread with the western and northern high terrain having the best chances of precipitation totals above 0.10". The storm system will quickly exit by late tonight, leaving behind strong northwest flow across the area. RHs will fall in its wake, and Wednesday features the best chance for critical fire weather conditions, particularly across the northeast and east central plains where RH and wind criteria will possibly be met. Will monitor for future highlights. Quieter and warmer weather conditions are then in store for the remainder of the work week. More wind looks possible by this weekend along with another cooldown behind a backdoor cold front. 15 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from noon today to 6 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ206>208-219-224-225. High Wind Warning from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ223-226-229-239-240. Wind Advisory from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening for the following zones... NMZ212>215-218-221-222-227-228-231>238. Wind Advisory from noon today to 6 AM MDT Wednesday for the following zones... NMZ230. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 436 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021 NMZ201>241-271200- 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- 436 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong winds will impact the region today as a cold front pushes through. A Wind Advisory and a High Wind Warning are in effect for much of central and eastern portions of the area. A few inches of snow are likely across the higher elevations of the Tusas and Sangre De Cristo Mountains, but is not expected to impact travel. .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... Contact local law enforcement or the National Weather Service to report strong winds and wind damage. 11
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Mesonet station near Ancho briefly measured a sustained wind speed of 40 mph.
A Mesonet station near Mesita briefly measured a wind gust of 58 mph with the passage of a cold front.
An AWOS station in Ruidoso measured several hours of high wind speeds with a peak sustained wind speed of 43 mph.
An ASOS station in Las Vegas measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
An ASOS station in Clines Corners measured high wind gusts with a peak gust of 61 mph.
An AWOS station in Taos briefly measured sustained wind speeds of 40 mph.
An AWOS station in Ruidoso measured several hours of high wind gusts with a peak gust of 68 mph.
An ASOS station in Clovis measured a couple hours of sustained wind speeds of 40 mph.
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, October 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: 982501, 982500, 982497, 982503, 982502, 982505, 982496, 982504.