While most of northern and central New Mexico was under the influence of a strong high pressure system with hot and dry conditions, a backdoor cold front entering northeast New Mexico did allow for a few thunderstorms on September 14, 2021. An increase in low-level moisture in addition to favorable upslope flow along the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Johnson and Bartlett Mesas allowed…
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The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
While most of northern and central New Mexico was under the influence of a strong high pressure system with hot and dry conditions, a backdoor cold front entering northeast New Mexico did allow for a few thunderstorms on September 14, 2021. An increase in low-level moisture in addition to favorable upslope flow along the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Johnson and Bartlett Mesas allowed for the development of afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Favorable wind shear also allowed for the brief organization of these thunderstorms as they tracked southeast across the northeast plains. A thunderstorm near Folsom in northern Union County did briefly become severe when it produced high winds in the area.
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 Sep 14, 4:55 PM MST, 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 555 PM MDT Tue Sep 14 2021 .AVIATION... 00Z TAF CYCLE Isolated showers and thunderstorms will continue until several hours after sunset. West of the central mt chain, high based showers will mainly produce localized gusty outflow winds and little rainfall. East of the central mt chain, greater low level moisture will allow for brief heavy rain and small hail through around 15/04Z before ending. Isold showers and a brief thunderstorm or two are forecast from the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo mountains southward to the central highlands and south- central mountains Wednesday afternoon/early evening. Isold convection is also possible in Roosevelt county Wednesday afternoon where today's backdoor front remains stalled. 33 && .PREV DISCUSSION...253 PM MDT Tue Sep 14 2021... .SYNOPSIS... A few strong to perhaps severe thunderstorms are possible across northeast NM through late this evening as a weak cold front moves into the area. Large hail and damaging winds are the main threats with the strongest storms. This front will cool temperatures slightly for Wednesday across eastern NM while the west remains hot and dry. Near-record high temperatures will continue through the weekend for much of the region as high pressures dominates NM. Big changes are possible by Tuesday of next week as a strong cold front moves into NM. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT)... A change in the weather regime is underway as a back door cold front has entered northeast NM. Low level moisture exists behind the front with dewpoints in the 50s. This will be the focus for showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon into tonight, There could even be a few strong to severe storms from Raton to Nara Visa to the CO and TX borders. The front will continue south and west tonight, likely bringing a light to moderate east wind into parts of the Rio Grande Valley. Wednesday will be a little cooler in most areas. Showers and storms will be relegated to the south central mountains and our southeast and south central plains. This activity could continue into early Wednesday evening. Later Wednesday night will be dry and mild. Patchy fog could develop in the southeast quarter of our CWA. LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... Any remnant moisture from the recent back door cold front will be focused across southern NM Thursday. SHRA/TS may develop near the southern high terrain but coverage will be very limited. A 589dm H5 ridge axis will begin nudging northward from MX and allow another round of near-record high temps Thursday. The ridge will consolidate into a 591dm H5 high center over NM thru Friday and Saturday. High temps will top out near records once again both days. Meanwhile, a much anticipated upper level trough will begin encroaching on the Great Basin by Saturday. Just enough moisture may squeeze northward into far western NM for a couple gusty SHRA/TS by late day. Surface pressure falls will take place along the Front Range Sunday as the upper trough begins making headway into the western CONUS. Southwest winds will increase areawide w/ above normal temps again. A few more SHRA/TS are possible over the Four Corners and western NM as a thin ribbon of moisture still attempts to squeeze north ahead of the upper trough. By Monday, more pronounced heights falls will take place from NW to SE w/ cold air advection beginning along a Pacific Front entering northwest NM. Widespread breezy southwest winds are likely while the eastern plains remain hot. Significant changes are still looking more likely Tuesday and Tuesday night as as a strong cold front moves thru the region. The airmass appears quite dry so any precip chances are minimal attm. Despite the strong cold front temps are only forecast to fall to near normal for mid September after our record warm pattern. CHJ/Guyer && .FIRE WEATHER... A little relief from the dry and hot weather of late will occur mainly across eastern areas this evening into Wednesday night. A back door cold front will surge south and west over eastern NM and will spill into the RGV later tonight. An increase in moisture behind the front will help set off showers and thunderstorms through the rest of the afternoon and this evening over northeast NM. There may be a few strong to severe storms over the northeast plains and eastern portions of the highlands with wetting precipitation. Elsewhere will be dry and mild tonight. Rh recoveries will be fair in the west and good to excellent in the east. Much of the area will have temperatures a few degrees lower Wednesday. The most moisture looks to pool in the East Central Plains Wednesday afternoon, with isolated showers and storms expected. Thursday through next Tuesday should be dry and a bit warmer, with the above normal temperatures continuing. CHJ && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 304 PM MDT Tue Sep 14 2021 NMZ201>241-151100- 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- 304 PM MDT Tue Sep 14 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight There is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms over northeast NM through late this evening. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail are possible. Near-record heat will continue for mainly central and western New Mexico today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Near-record heat will continue Thursday through Saturday as strong high pressure strengthens over the region once again. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report severe weather through the National Weather Service Albuquerque web site at weather.gov/abq or by calling 1.888.386.7637. You can also submit storm reports and photos on our Facebook page or via Twitter using the hashtag nmwx. Guyer
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter estimated 60 mph wind gusts associated with a severe thunderstorm.
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, September 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: 973895.