As what's typically expected for New Mexico during March, the focus turned to high winds rather than precipitation. A couple of strong spring-like storm systems did impact New Mexico during the month, but a more northerly storm track was favored.
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.
As what's typically expected for New Mexico during March, the focus turned to high winds rather than precipitation. A couple of strong spring-like storm systems did impact New Mexico during the month, but a more northerly storm track was favored. While the northern mountains and basins were favored due to this, southern areas continued to suffer with well below normal precipitation totals and snowpack. Drought conditions across the state worsened with about 91 percent in at least severe drought conditions. About 44 percent of that was categorized as extreme or exceptional drought with about 6 percent in exceptional drought. Precipitation totals across much of northern and central New Mexico generally ranged from one quarter to one half inch. High terrain areas across north central New Mexico fared better with precipitation totals closer to one inch.
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 Feb 28, 10:20 PM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1020 PM MST Mon Feb 28 2022 .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE VFR conditions prevail through the TAF period with high clouds gradually clearing overnight. Winds will be light and variable with the exception of the typical northerly drainage wind at KSAF. High clouds likely return to portions of western and central NM by tomorrow afternoon. 15 && .PREV DISCUSSION...231 PM MST Mon Feb 28 2022... .SYNOPSIS... Pleasant weather and warming Spring time temperatures hold true through Thursday before windier, and cooler weather arrives Friday. The threat of critical fire weather conditions across eastern and southern NM will result Friday while chances for showers entering northwestern NM increase. Cooler weather and intermittent shower activity through the northern mountains hold true through the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT)... A thick band of high clouds with an 80 to 90 kt subtropical jet has begun shifting eastward late today. Clearing will continue from NW to SE tonight with similar min temps to last night. A weak H5 low sliding down the SoCal coast will shift east Tuesday into southern AZ. Warm advection ahead of the wave will allow max temps to trend 5-10F above normal for March 1st. The 12Z GFS shows mid level moisture and deformation to the northeast of this feature developing a band of mid level clouds over central NM late Tuesday afternoon. Otherwise, it will be a nice day with light winds and low humidity. Min temps will trend a couple degrees warmer Tuesday night but northern and western lowlands will still be cold. LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY)... High pressure ridging Wednesday passes east Thursday, replaced by a strengthening southwest flow regime. This will continue the warming trend areawide to 8F-15F above normal. Many places through western NM will see their warmest temperatures of the season thus far Thursday with highs reaching into the mid to upper 60s. The eastern plains will see breezy to locally windy conditions Thursday afternoon thanks to a modest lee-side surface low developing through southeastern CO. These conditions amplify Friday with a deeper 995mb MSLP surface low and a 45-55kt H7 jet max overriding south-central NM during the afternoon. Efficient mixing should see a translation of those strong wind speeds aloft down the surface during the afternoon. The much drier air aloft also looks to easily shove off 40s dewpoints through southeastern NM bringing what looks to be a widespread critical fire weather threat (see Fire Wx Discussion). This will also cause temperatures to rise to their warmest levels of the forecast period through the eastern plains. Lowering pressure heights and increasing cloud cover will see a the first drop in temperatures west of the Rio Grande River. The synoptic setup by Friday will feature a large scale troughing pattern over the western CONUS with several spokes or shortwaves rotating through. The first of which will arrive into northwestern NM Friday night bringing a Pacific cold front through and showers favoring the northwestern high terrain. This will drop temperatures back Saturday areawide before the next shortwave arrives Saturday night. A repeat performance of a Pacific front and showers favoring the northwestern highlands will result and temperatures will continue to trend colder. A third and final trailing trough looks to move into the region Sunday night into Monday morning. Guyer/24 && .FIRE WEATHER... ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... Tranquil weather conditions will prevail through Wednesday with mild temperatures, low humidity, and poor ventilation. An extended period of critical fire weather is possible Thursday thru Saturday as very dry southwest flow strengthens over NM. Critical fire weather will first develop across northeast NM Thursday then become widespread within central and eastern NM Friday and Saturday. There is still uncertainty on which day will have the strongest winds and greatest coverage of single digit RH due to timing of the upper level wave. By Sunday, winds remain strong but temperatures will be cooling with the potential for some valley rain and mountain snow showers across northern NM. Guyer && .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 February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to exceptional drought conditions from February 2022 worsened in March with extreme to exceptional drought conditions across the entire area.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 worsened in March with extreme drought conditions across Roosevelt County.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 worsened in March with extreme drought conditions developing across eastern portions of the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
Severe drought conditions from February 2022 continued in March.
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, March 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: 1006877, 1006878, 1006879, 1006880, 1006881, 1006882, 1006883, 1006884, 1006885, 1006886, 1006887, 1006888, 1006889, 1006890, 1006891, 1006892, 1006893, 1006894, 1006895, 1006896, 1006897, 1006898, 1006899, 1006900, 1006901, 1006902, 1006903, 1006904, 1006905, 1006906, 1006907, 1006908, 1006909, 1006910, 1006911, 1006912, 1006913, 1006914, 1006915, 1006916, and more.