Northwest flow aloft over New Mexico increased in response to a strong upper-level jet diving into the central Rockies on January 4, 2022. As 700mb wind strengthened over the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Sandia/Manzano Mountains, windy conditions developed across the high terrain and adjacent highlands.
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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.
Northwest flow aloft over New Mexico increased in response to a strong upper-level jet diving into the central Rockies on January 4, 2022. As 700mb wind strengthened over the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Sandia/Manzano Mountains, windy conditions developed across the high terrain and adjacent highlands. Wind gusts up to 58 mph were reported near Sandia Peak as well as along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
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 Jan 4, 11:05 AM MST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1105 AM MST Tue Jan 4 2022 .UPDATE... Westerly winds have increased farther east onto the I-25 corridor from near KRTN to KLVS late this morning. Gusts of 35 to 45 kt are likely to continue given mt wave action and stronger winds aloft. Expanded the Wind Advisory w/ the morning update. Winds are likely to remain elevated in the high terrain thru tonight while tapering off elsewhere. Guyer && .PREV DISCUSSION...1043 AM MST Tue Jan 4 2022... .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE VFR all terminals the next 24 hrs with strong west to northwest winds in a few areas. Winds will gust to btwn 40 and 55 kt over the Sangre de Cristo Mts and nearby highlands of eastern NM today. Winds will taper off in most areas aft 00Z except the higher terrain overnight. Guyer && .PREV DISCUSSION...201 AM MST Tue Jan 4 2022... .SYNOPSIS... Windy conditions will prevail across much of eastern New Mexico today, with strong winds in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and adjacent eastern highlands. Temperatures will trend up today most areas, but especially across the eastern plains where highs will be well above normal. A stronger back door cold front will bring much colder air to eastern New Mexico Thursday, with highs forecast to be below to well below normal. Stronger winds and warmer temperatures will return Friday into Saturday, especially across the eastern plains and highlands. A Pacific disturbance will bring increased clouds and colder temperatures to the area Sunday, with chances for showers across northern New Mexico. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... Northwest flow aloft will increase today as a potent NW-SE oriented jet dives into the central Rockies. 500mb winds within this jet are expected to be near 100 knots, but the strongest winds associated with this jet will remain to our north over WY and CO. Still, winds across northern NM, particularly along the Sangre de Cristos, will strengthen in response to this jet with 700mb winds nearing or exceeding 70 knots along mountain peaks. Winds across the Sangre de Cristos will increase rapidly this morning as a result with high winds continuing throughout much of the day. While downsloping winds will result in increasing wind speeds across the east central plains by late morning, guidance keeps the very strong 700mb winds confined to the mountains and adjacent highlands. With wind speeds currently expected to remain below advisory across the east central plains, made very little changes to the wind highlights issued yesterday with the exception of adding the Raton Mesa to the High Wind Warning. Otherwise, the warming trend continues for most, but especially for the east central and southeast plains thanks to the aforementioned downsloping winds which send high temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Winds taper off after sunset as winds aloft and the pressure gradient relax. A weak backdoor cold front then noses into northeastern NM after midnight, but likely doesn't make much progress. Most guidance loses the front just north of Tucumcari by mid-Wednesday morning. But it is enough to result in a modest cooldown across the northeast and east central plains where Wednesday's high temperatures are about 5 to 12 degrees cooler compared to today. Increasing 700mb winds along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains will once again lead to breezy to windy conditions along mountain peaks, and another round of wind highlights may be needed for the high terrain Wednesday. LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)... Strong northwest flow may bring another round of strong winds again Wednesday night along and immediately east of the central mountain chain in advance of a stronger backdoor cold front. The front is forecast to be to Roswell and Clines Corners by 12Z Thursday and will likely halt westward progression near Clines Corners. Impressive cold air advection behind the front will bring single digit lows to the northeast plains and highlands Thursday morning. Highs on Thursday behind the front will range from 5-15 degrees below normal and will likely remain below freezing at Clayton. The surface high will slide off to the east Thursday night and moderate northwest flow will bring another round of strong winds from the Sangres/Sandias/Manzanos east to the TX border going into Friday. More windy conditions are forecast along/east of the central mountain chain Saturday in advance of a Pacific trough. Highs will be above to well above normal across eastern NM Fri/Sat due in part to downslope winds. Moisture advection is forecast late Saturday into Sunday in advance of a the Pacific trough and associated cold front. Expect increasing clouds and colder temperatures Sunday, with chances for showers favoring northern NM. There is some disagreement among the 00Z medium range model solutions with the handling of the Pacific trough Sunday, but they generally agree with an amplifying ridge with impressive pressure heights across the Intermountain West going into Monday. Forecast confidence is fairly low beyond Sunday at this time. 15/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT TUESDAY AFTERNOON DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES... Northwest flow aloft will remain the rule through the remainder of the week with today likely featuring the strongest winds. High winds with gusts of 60-70 mph are expected along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and adjacent highlands, and while not as strong, downsloping winds will lead to breezy to windy conditions across the east central plains as well. Temperatures warm up several degrees above normal, and with dry conditions, a return to critical fire weather conditions is expected today. Did upgrade the Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning for the east central plains through this afternoon. Breezy conditions will likely persist each day this week for areas along and east of the central mountain chain, but a cold front tonight and a stronger one Wednesday night will cool temperatures and limit any fire weather concerns. The next chance for precipitation may arrive this weekend with northern NM being the favored location for any wetting precipitation. 15 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for the following zones... NMZ108. High Wind Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ212>215-223-227. Wind Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening for the following zones... NMZ221-228-229-233. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A weather station at Sandia Crest measured a peak wind speed of 58 mph.
A public weather station near El Turquillo measured a peak wind gust of 58 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, January 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: 991241, 991242.