The exceptionally dry and windy conditions felt across northern and central New Mexico during the month of March only continued and even worsened during April. While the storm track remained active across the western United States, it wasn't favorable to New Mexico as these systems largely remained to the north of the state.
Every event with a place to put it; 41 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.
The exceptionally dry and windy conditions felt across northern and central New Mexico during the month of March only continued and even worsened during April. While the storm track remained active across the western United States, it wasn't favorable to New Mexico as these systems largely remained to the north of the state. As such, precipitation was scarce during April with amounts well below one inch. The Albuquerque area recorded only a trace of precipitation during the month, well below the normal of 0.51 inches. As these dry, windy conditions persisted, this only fueled numerous wildfire starts across northern and central New Mexico, and drought conditions only worsened with about 96 percent of the state in at least severe drought conditions. Areas of extreme to exceptional drought spread rapidly with now about 68 percent of the state in these categories, and about 16 percent of that in exceptional drought.
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 31, 10:35 PM MST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1135 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE Rain showers and high terrain snow will continue moving east across northern and western NM tonight. Brief MVFR cigs are likely w/ IFR vsbys possible in the high terrain. Rain and snow will taper off by 18Z across the northern mts as drier, westerly flow arrives. West to northwest gusts of 25 to 35 kt will be common at most terminals w/ lcl gusts to near 40 kt along I-40 from KCQC to KTCC. A few showers and storms will attempt to develop aft 18Z over northeast NM as a back door cold front slides into the area with a north wind shift. Guyer && .PREV DISCUSSION...247 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022... .SYNOPSIS... Another round of rain and mountain snow showers are in store tonight through Friday across northern New Mexico. Snow accumulations will be minimal. The storm system causing the precipitation will also bring increased winds on Friday afternoon. Warmer and drier conditions are expected for Saturday, though a few breezes remain likely across the east. More showers will be possible Sunday night into Monday mainly across portions of northern New Mexico. Tuesday and Wednesday will be windy across much of the area with blowing dust a concern once again. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)... A shortwave trough is on approach from over the Great Basin and will move east across the southern Rockies and NM overnight through Friday, bringing a round of showers to northern NM along with breezy to locally windy conditions. Convection is modeled to ramp-up this evening across western NM as moisture advection continues and may even impact this Albuquerque Metro, although measurable rain will likely be several hundredths of an inch or less. Forcing across the northern high terrain will trend up overnight, when chances for showers will peak. A few inches of snow are forecast in the northern mountains, but except for a couple high peaks will remain below advisory threshold. Otherwise, rain is forecast at lower elevation locales. The shortwave trough will eject east out of the Rockies late Friday morning, sending a backdoor front into the northeast plains and providing a focus for continued shower development going into the afternoon hours. Lightning is not expected to be abundant this evening through tomorrow, but don't be surprised to hear a rumble of thunder or two. Stronger northwest winds aloft on the backside of the departing shortwave trough will mix down and create breezy to locally windy conditions Friday afternoon from near Farmington southeast toward the east central highlands. A Wind Advisory may be required for east central highlands. Downslope winds Friday afternoon will help Roswell poke up into the lower 80s, offering a decent warm-up from the previous two days. Clearing skies and light winds will allow for a cooler night Friday. LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... Zonal flow aloft returns on Saturday, and this should allow a lee side surface low to develop in the vicinity of the NM/CO/OK border. Breezy to locally windy conditions will be likely across northeast and east central NM. High temperatures will also climb back above normal by 5 to 10 degrees. On Sunday, a weak and baggy shortwave will approach from the west. Other than a few breezes, little fanfare is expected during the day, though a backdoor front will nose into northeast NM. This backdoor cold front will continue to trek southward through the eastern plains Sunday night. By Monday morning, the upper level trough will be crossing the state. Scattered rain and mountain snow showers will be possible at least across northwest and north central NM. Enough instability may exist for a few lightning strikes as well. As the trough shifts eastward across the state, the precipitation will as well, with a few showers possible across eastern NM by Monday evening. More impactful weather is on tap for Tuesday and Wednesday. Strong northwest flow is expected on Tuesday. 7H winds of 45-55kts are expected. Daytime mixing combined with a 989mb surface low over the Panhandles will allow for a windy day across the area. It looks like at least a few zones will likely need a Wind Advisory, and of course, blowing dust will again be a concern as widespread wetting precipitation is not expected on Monday. Northwest flow aloft will remain strong on Wednesday with mixing heights similar, if not higher. Thus, another round of strong winds are in store, however, another backdoor cold front will slide into eastern NM on Wednesday and though it will be breezy behind this front, wind speeds will be less behind the front then they are across central and western NM. Much drier air will also filter into the area on Wednesday, with dewpoint plummeting into the single digits. Once wind speeds decrease during the evening, temperatures will cool off quickly. Low temperatures Wednesday night will be a bit chilly for early April. Less wind is in store for Thursday. 34/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... Chances for wetting precipitation will trend up this evening and overnight across northern NM as a shortwave trough moves over the southern Rockies. Breezy to locally windy conditions are forecast on the backside of the trough across the area Friday, but humidity is not expected to hit critical threshold. Lightning is expected tonight through Friday, but will be limited. Warming is forecast through the weekend, with temperatures returning back above normal areawide. Winds will be the main limiter of potential for critical fire weather conditions this weekend. A Pacific trough will move over Monday, bringing cooler and windy conditions with chances for wetting precipitation that will focus over the northern mountains. Potential for critical fire weather conditions will trend up next Tue/Wed as the jet stream dives southeast from the Pacific NW over the central and southern Rockies, bringing strong northwest flow aloft to NM. Tuesday may be the more widespread day with a backdoor front forecast to slide down the eastern plains late Tuesday. Winds will trend down by Thursday as a building ridge begins to shift east across the Intermountain West. 34 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
41 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread extreme drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread exceptional drought conditions areawide.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April as exceptional drought conditions began to develop across portions of the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread exteme drought conditions.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread exteme drought conditions.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread extreme drought conditions.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April with exceptional drought conditions expanding across Chaves County.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across eastern portions of the area.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across eastern portions of the area.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across eastern portions of the area.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing areawide.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing areawide.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing areawide.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April with exceptional drought conditions spreading across Union County.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread extreme drought conditions.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across all of Quay County.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April. Extreme southern portions of Roosevelt County began to develop exceptional drought conditions.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread extreme drought conditions developing. Exceptional drought conditions began to develop across far western Harding County.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 worsened in April with widespread extreme drought conditions developing.
Severe drought conditions from March 2022 continued in April.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2022
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: 1012114, 1012115, 1012116, 1012117, 1012118, 1012119, 1012120, 1012121, 1012122, 1012123, 1012124, 1012125, 1012126, 1012127, 1012128, 1012129, 1012130, 1012131, 1012132, 1012133, 1012134, 1012135, 1012136, 1012137, 1012138, 1012139, 1012140, 1012141, 1012142, 1012143, 1012144, 1012145, 1012146, 1012147, 1012148, 1012149, 1012150, 1012151, 1012152, 1012153, and more.