A strong section of the jetstream overrode the Central Mountain Chain of New Mexico on December 8th. A portion of these winds were able to reach sections of the highlands immediately east of the Central Mountain Chain.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
A strong section of the jetstream overrode the Central Mountain Chain of New Mexico on December 8th. A portion of these winds were able to reach sections of the highlands immediately east of the Central Mountain Chain. The Las Vegas Airport ASOS and a mesonet station in southwestern Guadalupe County both measured peak gusts of 58 mph. Thankfully no damage was reported.
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 8, 10:29 AM MST, 2 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1029 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 306 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 Windy conditions expected today as a storm system pushes through the region, the highest gusts of which will favor the central mountains and eastward. Snowfall from the system will favor the northern mountains and portions of the northeast plains this afternoon through Saturday morning. Markedly colder temperatures are expected behind the system, with highs on Saturday 10 to 25 degrees below Friday's readings. Frigid temperatures are also expected Saturday night, with most locales seeing lows below 20 degrees. Temperatures will begin rebounding Sunday and Monday and drier conditions will prevail. Another storm system is expected to impact the area mid next week. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Saturday) Issued at 306 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 The short term forecast continues to feature strong wind, considerably colder temperatures across the CWA and accumulating snow and blowing snow along the far northeast New Mexico border with Colorado, including Raton Pass. Ended up expanding the current Wind Advisory into the East Central and Southeast Plains for this afternoon as well as adding the Upper Rio Grande Valley. Models are still not in very good agreement with wind speeds and could also see a few areas such as the Farmington vicinity as well as locales along the Continental Divide and Sandia/Manzano mountains hit criteria at least briefly that are not included in the advisory. Wouldn't be surprised to see a few areas like Clines Corners reach High Wind criteria but confidence is low. While temperatures will be cooler overall today, for the most part near to above average highs are still on tap, especially over portions of the east central and southeast where highs will be 10-15 degrees above normal. Winds won't totally subside tonight, and may stay gusty over some of the higher terrain while northerly winds strengthen over northeast New Mexico. Snow accumulations along with potential for blowing snow to impact travel remain forecast for the Raton Pass area and along Highway 64/87 into Union county during the overnight through Saturday morning. Consequently have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for that area. Considered adding Union county as well, but at this time forecast snow amounts taper off from north to south over the county, although some models indicate potential for higher snow amounts than what are currently being forecast. Saturday will be around 10-15 degrees colder than normal for much of the CWA and may feel even colder with apparent temperatures running in the teens to mid 30s Saturday afternoon. Lingering snow showers in the east should be tapering off although some blowing snow may persist in the Raton Pass area in the afternoon. && .LONG TERM... (Saturday night through Thursday) Issued at 306 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 As the trough which brought Friday and Saturday's unsettled weather exits into the Great Plains Saturday night, a cold airmass already in residence will bring frigid overnight lows. Much drier air will combine with clearing skies to allow for enhanced radiational cooling. Most locales will struggle to stay about 20F into Sunday morning, with some areas dipping into the single digits and below zero. Thankfully, pressure heights rise quickly in the trough's departure, allowing highs on Sunday to rebound a few to several degrees compared to Saturday's chilly readings. The regime of northwest flow aloft in combination with a deepening lee-side sfc low will create breezy conditions across the central highlands in the afternoon. Temperatures will rebound a few degrees further amongst dry and generally calm condtions on Monday as flow aloft flattens. The tune changes on Tuesday, however, as a wide shortwave trough begins to traverse the Desert Southwest. A weak backdoor front will cool temperatures back down across the eastern plains but elsewhere will see moderated temperatures. The aforementioned upper low pressure closes off Tuesday night as it tours the Great Basin, set to dive southeastward Wednesday. The system works to draw Gulf moisture up its eastern periphery, potentially bringing a mixed bag of wintry precip to the eastern plains that afternoon and evening. It's at this point that model departures become quite wide, with the ECMWF and GFS plotting very different courses for this low. The GFS brings the low center across the northern mts Thursday, while the ECMWF flings the low back up into CO. The former solution would result in a longer duration of precip, while the latter would cause precip to end by Thursday evening. Until these synoptic differences are sussed out, a low confidence forecast will exist. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 930 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist with a couple of potential exceptions. The combination of an upper level trough/low and the backdoor segment of a cold front will bring lowering cigs and chances for snow to northeast NM overnight, which will shift south with time and impact KTCC around sunrise with potential MVFR conditions in light snow. MVFR cigs are possible at KLVS too, but probability is too low to include in TAF. Otherwise, strong/gusty westerly flow is forecast today ahead of a Pacific cold front, forecast to push through this evening. Gusts to between 35-45kts will be common at KLVS and KTCC this afternoon. Stronger winds will continue behind the cold front Saturday morning across eastern NM. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 306 AM MST Fri Dec 8 2023 Strong winds persist today as much colder air starts to overspread the region from northwest and north to the southeast. West to northwest wind gusts of around 50-55 mph are possible over the higher terrain and eastern NM where a few hours of critical conditions are possible, especially in the East Central Plains. Ventilation this afternoon will be good to excellent. Spotty light snow and blowing snow is expected to develop over the northern mountains and along the northeast NM border this afternoon and tonight while spreading south along the central mountain chain and into the eastern plains. Snow is expected to taper off by Saturday afternoon. Northwest NM will see mostly poor ventilation with good to excellent rates for most of the central and east Saturday. Lighter winds, a slow warming trend and widespread poor ventilation are expected Sunday and Monday. A backdoor cold front may invade eastern NM by next Wednesday as an upper low crosses the Four Corners bringing more cold weather and potential for wetting precipitation. Widespread poor ventilation persists mid to late next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 46 17 37 12 / 5 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 44 3 35 1 / 30 10 5 0 Cuba............................ 43 12 32 7 / 5 5 5 0 Gallup.......................... 48 10 38 6 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 46 11 36 9 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 50 13 38 7 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 52 14 38 11 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 55 21 37 18 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 52 17 37 15 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 61 17 43 11 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 62 27 49 23 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 38 4 29 5 / 40 20 20 0 Los Alamos...................... 45 18 33 16 / 10 5 10 0 Pecos........................... 45 16 34 15 / 5 5 20 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 41 7 30 9 / 20 30 30 0 Red River....................... 39 4 28 3 / 20 40 40 0 Angel Fire...................... 37 2 27 -14 / 10 30 40 0 Taos............................ 42 9 32 2 / 10 20 20 0 Mora............................ 45 13 31 10 / 5 10 30 0 Espanola........................ 51 14 39 13 / 10 5 10 0 Santa Fe........................ 45 16 33 15 / 5 5 20 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 48 18 36 13 / 5 0 10 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 53 22 39 18 / 0 0 5 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 55 25 41 19 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 57 20 43 14 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 55 24 41 19 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 60 21 44 17 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 55 22 41 18 / 0 0 5 0 Bosque Farms.................... 57 21 43 15 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 55 22 41 18 / 0 0 5 0 Los Lunas....................... 58 23 43 17 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 51 21 38 18 / 0 0 5 0 Rio Rancho...................... 54 23 40 21 / 0 0 5 0 Socorro......................... 63 27 43 19 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 47 19 33 17 / 0 0 10 0 Tijeras......................... 50 21 36 19 / 0 0 10 0 Edgewood........................ 50 19 35 15 / 0 0 10 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 52 16 37 7 / 0 0 10 0 Clines Corners.................. 48 17 32 13 / 0 0 20 0 Mountainair..................... 52 20 36 15 / 0 0 5 0 Gran Quivira.................... 54 21 37 16 / 0 0 5 0 Carrizozo....................... 59 25 41 18 / 0 0 5 0 Ruidoso......................... 54 23 34 16 / 0 0 5 0 Capulin......................... 49 17 29 10 / 10 60 50 0 Raton........................... 52 17 35 6 / 10 60 50 0 Springer........................ 52 18 35 6 / 5 30 30 0 Las Vegas....................... 50 17 33 13 / 0 5 30 0 Clayton......................... 54 24 37 16 / 0 50 40 0 Roy............................. 54 21 36 13 / 0 20 40 0 Conchas......................... 61 25 40 15 / 0 10 40 0 Santa Rosa...................... 60 26 40 19 / 0 5 30 0 Tucumcari....................... 63 25 41 15 / 0 5 40 0 Clovis.......................... 65 27 39 19 / 0 0 20 0 Portales........................ 67 28 41 17 / 0 0 20 0 Fort Sumner..................... 65 28 42 16 / 0 0 20 0 Roswell......................... 71 32 51 21 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 66 29 43 20 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 65 27 44 17 / 0 0 5 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ216-228-232- 234>238. Wind Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ212>215-223- 229-233-239-240. Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 11 AM MST Saturday for NMZ227. && SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM....12 AVIATION...11
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The SE Vaughn mesonet measured a peak gust of 58 mph.
The Las Vegas ASOS measured a peak gust of 58 mph.
The Las Vegas ASOS measured a peak gust of 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2023
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: 1143885, 1143883, 1143884.