Strong northwest winds associated with a strong section of the jetstream passed over northern NM. These strong winds impacted isolated and high elevation areas of the Jemez Mountains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Los Alamos and Taos Ski Valley.
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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.
Strong northwest winds associated with a strong section of the jetstream passed over northern NM. These strong winds impacted isolated and high elevation areas of the Jemez Mountains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Los Alamos and Taos Ski Valley.
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 Dec 22, 4:05 AM MST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 405 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 253 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 A cold front racing down the eastern plains will set the stage for bitter cold and dangerous wind chills today through Friday morning across eastern New Mexico. Light snow showers will be possible across the northern and western high terrain Friday, while temperatures remain below freezing across most of the eastern plains. Temperatures will rebound quickly by Christmas Day. Another bout of unsettled weather will be possible toward the middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Friday) Issued at 253 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 The arctic front is barreling down the east side of the state at this time, at least east of the Pecos Valley. This is faster than all the guidance, and have advanced the arrival of the wind shift as well as decreased some high temperatures for today in southeast NM. There was quite a spread in the guidance highs for today at Roswell, varying from 49 to 32 degrees. Other locations between the Pecos Valley and central mountain chain also had some rather large spreads in the forecast highs and leaned toward the colder values. Some low clouds are also brushing the eastern border of the state in the wake of the front, but these clouds along with any snow flurries, are not expected to persist for more than a few hours this morning. However, any light snow may result in some slick and icy spots on area highways. Only other changes at this time were wind and PoP related. Added the Jemez mountains to the Wind Advisory where the 700 mb winds were forecast to be around 50kt and the KLAM ob was already close to the criteria. Did not add the Sacramento mountains but that may need a look in the next few hours. Also painted in a more defined southeast wind at Santa Fe and Ruidoso where there is a hint of the arctic air oozing through tonight/early Friday. The NAM12/ECMWF, and the ECMWF in particular, have been persistently suggesting the incoming shortwave Friday may result in some spotty light snow over some of the western high terrain. Even the NBM has increased dewpoints over this area although the airmass would still be quite dry. That said, there will be mid-ish to high clouds increasing over the region later tonight and Friday. The Wind Chill Warnings and Advisories remain in effect unchanged at this time. && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 253 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 The arctic airmass will finally release its residence across eastern NM Saturday, allowing the area to rebound as many as 10 to 30 degrees that afternoon. Stout high pressure builds in the Pacific as the arctic low slingshots itself across the east coast, allowing for pressure heights to rise dramatically through early next week. Temperatures will increase each day through midweek until the next possibility for unsettled weather enters the arena in the form of a disorganized trough. Westerly winds will strengthen ahead of the disturbance early Wednesday across the central mts, spreading to the lower elevations that afternoon. A healthy tap of moisture accompanies the system, bringing the potential for valley rain and mountain snow, favoring the west and north Tuesday and spreading southeastward through Thursday. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 400 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 Arctic front extending from near KRTN to KSXU to south of KCVS at 10Z to continue pushing south and wwd with nely wind gusts to around 40kt in vicinity of the boundary. Lcl MVFR cigs/vsbys in -sn and br to extend east of the Pecos Valley in the wake of the front but not expected to persist aft 18Z. The front is expected to reach the east slopes of the central mt chain around 22Z and may bleed into KSAF and KSRR. Otherwise high to mid clouds to spread over wrn and into central NM aft 23/00Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 253 AM MST Thu Dec 22 2022 A much colder than normal pattern continues through Friday and into Saturday for central and eastern NM before near to above normal temperatures return to the region for Christmas Day through the middle of next week. Generally dry weather is also expected, although there could be some spotty light snow along the Continental Divide Friday and over far northeast NM Monday but models are not in complete agreement on this. Strong west to northwest winds over the higher terrain today will diminish tonight then remain relatively light through the weekend. Good ventilation expected over central and portions of eastern NM today. Widespread poor ventilation forecast Friday through next Tuesday. An active west to northwest flow pattern may bring potential for more widespread precipitation mid to late next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 44 20 44 19 / 0 10 10 0 Dulce........................... 37 10 42 13 / 0 10 10 0 Cuba............................ 39 19 41 17 / 0 5 10 0 Gallup.......................... 46 18 46 16 / 0 5 10 0 El Morro........................ 44 20 45 21 / 0 5 10 0 Grants.......................... 48 16 46 15 / 0 5 5 0 Quemado......................... 48 21 48 20 / 0 0 5 0 Magdalena....................... 50 25 45 26 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 48 23 46 22 / 0 0 10 0 Reserve......................... 53 23 53 20 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 53 29 53 28 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 31 8 36 12 / 5 10 10 0 Los Alamos...................... 41 20 38 23 / 0 5 5 0 Pecos........................... 37 12 35 19 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 33 7 35 17 / 0 5 5 0 Red River....................... 25 10 33 13 / 5 5 5 0 Angel Fire...................... 29 4 32 4 / 5 5 10 0 Taos............................ 37 7 33 10 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 36 8 31 17 / 0 0 5 0 Espanola........................ 45 12 40 20 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 41 18 35 22 / 0 5 5 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 44 12 36 17 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 46 25 41 27 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 50 23 43 24 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 51 19 43 22 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 48 25 43 24 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 52 24 45 20 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 48 20 42 23 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 52 21 44 18 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 48 22 43 23 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 52 23 44 18 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 45 21 39 25 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 47 22 42 25 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 55 26 45 23 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 41 20 37 22 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 43 21 37 24 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 42 14 36 20 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 44 7 34 14 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 35 7 27 14 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 43 15 37 21 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 45 15 39 20 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 48 18 39 19 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 42 16 33 18 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 5 -6 19 5 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 18 -4 19 3 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 22 -4 20 0 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 30 1 24 9 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 4 -9 16 6 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 11 -4 16 3 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 18 0 22 5 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 20 3 24 10 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 16 -3 22 5 / 5 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 18 1 22 7 / 5 0 0 0 Portales........................ 19 3 24 7 / 5 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 24 4 25 10 / 5 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 37 6 26 13 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 47 7 26 13 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 48 9 30 13 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Chill Warning until 11 AM MST Friday for NMZ227-228-230-231. Wind Chill Advisory until 11 AM MST Friday for NMZ223-229-232- 233-236-237. Wind Advisory until 4 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ210-211-221. High Wind Warning until 4 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ213>215- 223. Wind Chill Warning until 11 AM MST Friday for NMZ234-235. Wind Chill Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 11 AM MST Friday for NMZ238>240. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Taos Ski Valley weather station atop Kachina Peak recorded a peak gust of 58 mph.
A Los Alamos National Laboratories weather station recorded a peak gust of 61 mph.
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, December 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: 1060962, 1060961.