An abnormally cold upper level winter storm system impacted northern and central NM on February 15, 2023. Widespread heavy snow was reported across western, northern, and central NM.
Every event with a place to put it; 25 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.
An abnormally cold upper level winter storm system impacted northern and central NM on February 15, 2023. Widespread heavy snow was reported across western, northern, and central NM. Impacts began late in the day on February 14, 2023, peaking in intensity during the morning of February 15, 2023 before the storm exited late in the day. Snow accumulations of over a foot up to 15 inches were reported along the Continental Divide and northern mountain peaks. Blowing snow reducing visibility and snow packed roads caused reports of severe winter travel and forced some roads to be closed. These included I-25 at Raton Pass and U.S. Highway 64 from Raton to Clayton. Strong winds were also present with this storm system, although less pronounced compared to the prior storm system. A lone high wind report at the Roswell Airport was observed.
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 14, 4:43 PM MST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 443 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 113 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 Just as one winter storm exits the state, another is moving rapidly southeast from the Great Basin and will hit the state tonight through Wednesday night with accumulating snow, much colder temperatures and strong winds. Most of the snow will fall across the northern and western mountains, but even the Rio Grande Valley will be impacted by snow Wednesday morning. Winter storm impacts will focus across northeast New Mexico Wednesday afternoon and evening before the system exits Wednesday night, with near blizzard conditions possible. Well below normal temperatures will follow the cold front Wednesday night through Thursday night, with some of the coldest temperatures of the winter season to date. A warm up is forecast from Friday through the weekend, with downslope winds bringing highs above normal across eastern areas by Sunday. Stronger downslope winds will keep temperatures above normal across eastern areas on Monday. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 113 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 The latest WV loop shows the second upper level wave approaching from the Great Basin with a well-defined, strong baroclinic zone taking shape over northern AZ and southern UT. Lightning has been very active in the area from near Las Vegas, NV to Page, AZ which indicates just how unstable the approaching airmass is. Deep layer west-northwest flow over NM is backing to the southwest as large scale height falls arrive with the H5 low. Moisture will deepen this evening with surface dewpoints in the 30s/40s advecting northeast from central and southern AZ. There is high confidence that a band of moderate to locally heavy snowfall will surge east to southeast tonight across western NM along a potent Pacific cold front. Rates of 1 to 2" per hour will be common along the frontal boundary with falling temps and blowing snow. Travel will become very hazardous over western NM tonight. Near-term CAMs suggest potential for more thundersnow along the boundary as well. Hi-res models also show the band of snow surging into the RGV before sunrise Wednesday with a period of intense snow possible for a few hours thru mid morning. This burst of snow is likely to occur during the morning commute for ABQ and Santa Fe which will be very hazardous given falling temps, strong winds, blowing snow, low visibility, and potential flash freezing on road surfaces. A Winter Storm Warning was added to the Sandia/Manzano Mts with Winter Wx Advisories for surroundings areas of central NM thru Wednesday. Low level dry air then filters in from the west behind the Pacific front thru Wednesday afternoon. However, cold and unstable upslope flow within the high terrain will still allow snow to continue for much of the day along west-facing slopes. The focus then shifts to northeast NM as the backdoor cold front surges south and interacts with large scale ascent associated with the upper low. Another area of heavy snowfall, strong winds, with blowing and drifting snow will lead to blizzard-like conditions over northeast NM Wednesday. Travel corridors like I-25 around Raton Pass, U.S. 56, and U.S. 64/87 from Clayton to Raton have very high potential to experience closures with life-threatening travel possible. The third aspect of this system will be another period of high winds for areas south of I-40 Wednesday where gusts of 45 to 65 mph are possible. Additional highlights for wind were not extended with this package due to the overall complexity however updates are likely thru this evening. Max temps in all areas Wednesday will be up to 25F below normal with bitterly cold wind chill values all day. Folks are encouraged not to underestimate the dangerous combination of snow, wind, cold, low visibility, and dangerous travel conditions beginning tonight thru Wednesday. This system will affect a large portion of our region and some areas are still experiencing impacts from the storm system last night. Difficult travel will linger into Wednesday night as min temps become extremely cold with more wind and dangerously cold wind chills for Thursday morning. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Monday) Issued at 113 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 Cold air advection will continue Thursday morning, with the upper level trough axis extending southeast over the area. 700mb temperatures are forecast to reach -15C over Albuquerque Thursday morning, which would be the coldest 700mb temps so far this season across central NM. Wind chill values across the northern mountains and Johnson/Bartlett Mesas Thursday morning may require and advisory or a warning. Highs on Thursday will be 15-25 degrees below normal after a brutally cold start to the day. An upper level ridge will move overhead Thursday night into Friday morning, supplying ideal radiational cooling conditions and with fresh snow on the ground could be the coldest morning this forecast cycle for most locales. Plenty of sunshine and very large diurnal temperature ranges are forecast Friday, with warming over the weekend. Downslope winds across eastern NM over the weekend, but especially Sunday and Monday, will boost temperatures above normal. Late in the weekend and into early next week an upper low is forecast to dive south offshore of southern CA, with the potential for a Pacific moisture tap to develop across the region with southwest flow aloft. However, there is some disagreement among the 12Z medium range solutions with the timing/development of northwest flow aloft over the southern Rockies and NM, which could cut off the Pacific moisture. Our PoPs for Sunday through Tuesday are on the low-side at this time but give a nod to the wetter GFS solution. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 432 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 Strong swly winds gusting to around 45 or 50kt over the higher terrain and ern NM to slowly diminish after 15/01Z. Mts occasionally obscured in sct -shsn over mainly the higher terrain of central and wrn NM at 15/00Z to persist with brief MVFR cigs/vsbys. Upper low and associated cold front to push into wrn NM around 15/03Z and central NM around 15/10Z with more widespread MVFR to IFR cigs/vsbys and mt obscurations in snow and br/fzfg. Backdoor cold front to push into nern NM by 15/15Z. West to nwly winds to increase with gusts to around 35 to 45kt aft 15/15Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 113 PM MST Tue Feb 14 2023 The next winter storm will deliver another round of heavy snow to the higher terrain tonight and Wednesday. Strong winds will continue thru Wednesday as well near the higher terrain and over eastern NM. Well below normal temps will persist thru Thursday before a warming trend develops Friday with lighter winds. An upper level ridge will break down Saturday and Sunday with strengthening winds once again. Another storm system early next week may bring more valley rain and accumulating snow to the higher terrain. Vent rates will return to poor in nearly all areas Thursday thru Sunday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 19 28 6 31 / 80 50 10 0 Dulce........................... 13 25 -7 30 / 100 80 30 0 Cuba............................ 15 23 1 27 / 100 50 20 0 Gallup.......................... 11 24 -4 30 / 90 50 10 0 El Morro........................ 12 20 -2 29 / 100 70 20 0 Grants.......................... 13 25 -5 32 / 90 40 20 0 Quemado......................... 15 24 5 31 / 100 60 20 0 Magdalena....................... 22 29 11 34 / 60 70 5 0 Datil........................... 17 24 6 32 / 90 60 10 0 Reserve......................... 14 29 -2 37 / 100 40 10 0 Glenwood........................ 22 32 11 41 / 100 50 0 0 Chama........................... 10 20 -9 25 / 100 90 40 5 Los Alamos...................... 21 25 7 29 / 100 80 30 0 Pecos........................... 19 24 3 28 / 70 100 40 5 Cerro/Questa.................... 20 28 1 27 / 90 100 30 5 Red River....................... 8 17 -12 22 / 100 100 40 10 Angel Fire...................... 9 18 -28 25 / 90 100 60 10 Taos............................ 17 25 -6 28 / 70 90 30 5 Mora............................ 17 24 -3 28 / 80 90 40 5 Espanola........................ 25 31 5 34 / 80 80 30 5 Santa Fe........................ 20 24 7 27 / 80 100 40 5 Santa Fe Airport................ 22 27 7 30 / 70 90 30 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 25 32 15 34 / 60 80 10 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 27 34 16 36 / 60 70 5 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 26 36 10 39 / 60 70 5 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 26 35 13 36 / 70 60 5 0 Belen........................... 26 38 9 39 / 50 60 5 0 Bernalillo...................... 27 34 13 36 / 80 70 10 0 Bosque Farms.................... 25 37 7 39 / 50 70 5 0 Corrales........................ 26 35 13 37 / 80 60 5 0 Los Lunas....................... 26 37 10 39 / 50 60 5 0 Placitas........................ 24 30 14 33 / 80 80 10 0 Rio Rancho...................... 26 34 14 36 / 80 60 5 0 Socorro......................... 29 39 15 41 / 40 50 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 21 25 8 29 / 70 90 20 5 Tijeras......................... 23 29 10 32 / 70 90 20 5 Edgewood........................ 21 28 4 31 / 50 80 20 5 Moriarty/Estancia............... 21 29 0 33 / 40 80 20 0 Clines Corners.................. 20 25 5 29 / 40 80 30 0 Mountainair..................... 22 28 7 32 / 40 80 10 0 Gran Quivira.................... 23 30 9 33 / 30 80 5 0 Carrizozo....................... 29 35 13 37 / 40 80 5 0 Ruidoso......................... 24 29 8 32 / 40 80 5 0 Capulin......................... 16 22 -1 25 / 70 100 30 0 Raton........................... 17 23 -4 29 / 70 100 20 0 Springer........................ 20 27 -5 31 / 40 90 20 0 Las Vegas....................... 20 27 -2 29 / 40 80 40 0 Clayton......................... 22 28 7 30 / 40 100 30 0 Roy............................. 24 30 4 31 / 20 90 20 0 Conchas......................... 31 41 11 36 / 10 70 20 0 Santa Rosa...................... 30 37 13 36 / 10 70 20 0 Tucumcari....................... 31 43 11 36 / 5 60 20 0 Clovis.......................... 33 47 15 36 / 0 30 10 0 Portales........................ 33 48 14 38 / 0 30 5 0 Fort Sumner..................... 32 43 14 38 / 0 60 20 0 Roswell......................... 35 52 20 43 / 0 20 0 0 Picacho......................... 32 40 15 38 / 5 30 0 0 Elk............................. 29 37 9 37 / 10 50 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ202>204- 210>214-216. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ201. High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ206>208- 215-221-223-226-229-232>241. Wind Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ205-209-222- 224-228-231. Wind Advisory from 10 AM to 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ232>238. Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ205-206-208- 215-226>228-230-231. Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ207-209-217>219-222>224-229-241. Wind Advisory from 5 AM to 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ220-225-239. Winter Storm Warning from midnight tonight to 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ221. High Wind Warning from 5 AM to 5 PM MST Wednesday for NMZ240. && SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM....11 AVIATION...42
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
306 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0754 AM HIGH SUST WINDS RAINSVILLE 35.98N 105.21W
02/14/2023 E60 MPH MORA NM PUBLIC
WEATHER UNDERGROUND STATION (KNMRAINS3).
&&
MBDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
343 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 PM NON-TSTM WND GST SANDIA CREST 35.21N 106.45W
02/14/2023 E70 MPH BERNALILLO NM TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATE FROM TOP OF SANDIA TRAM.
0132 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 10 SSE MAGDALENA 33.98N 107.19W
02/14/2023 E62 MPH SOCORRO NM PUBLIC
ESTIMATE FROM MRO.
0600 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 7 WSW ENCINO 34.63N 105.57W
02/14/2023 M57 MPH TORRANCE NM PUBLIC
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
440 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM HIGH SUST WINDS 2 S FORT STANTON 33.47N 105.52W
02/14/2023 M43 MPH LINCOLN NM AWOS
AWOS STATION KSRR SIERRA BLANCA RGNL ARPT.
&&
MBDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
637 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 AM SNOW 2 NNW EDGEWOOD 35.09N 106.21W
02/14/2023 M3.0 INCH SANTA FE NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SF-52 EDGEWOOD 2.1 WNW.
0700 AM SNOW 5 E AZTEC RUINS NATIONA 36.83N 107.91W
02/14/2023 M3.8 INCH SAN JUAN NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SJ-48 AZTEC 5.2 E.
0700 AM SNOW 2 SE MADRID 35.38N 106.13W
02/14/2023 M1.3 INCH SANTA FE NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SF-189 MADRID 1.9 SE.
0700 AM SNOW 3 ENE SANTA FE 35.70N 105.91W
02/14/2023 M5.7 INCH SANTA FE NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SF-178 SANTA FE 2.9 ENE.
0700 AM SNOW 5 NW LAMY 35.53N 105.94W
02/14/2023 M4.3 INCH SANTA FE NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SF-167 SANTA FE 10.2 S.
0700 AM SNOW 1 ESE SANTA FE 35.68N 105.94W
02/14/2023 M4.9 INCH SANTA FE NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-SF-164 SANTA FE 0.7 ESE.
0700 AM SNOW ANGEL FIRE 36.39N 105.28W
02/14/2023 M7.0 INCH COLFAX NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-CL-6 ANGEL FIRE 0.2 SSE.
0700 AM SNOW 4 NE SEDILLO 35.15N 106.25W
02/14/2023 M5.0 INCH BERNALILLO NM COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION NM-BR-156 EDGEWOOD 6.3 NW.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
639 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 PM SNOW TORREON NAVAJO MISSION 35.80N 107.18W
02/14/2023 M4.0 INCH SANDOVAL NM CO-OP OBSERVER
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
642 PM MST TUE FEB 14 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM SNOW EAGLE NEST 36.56N 105.26W
02/14/2023 M2.0 INCH COLFAX NM CO-OP OBSERVER
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 heavy snow, 8 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow impacted the Chuska Mountains where there was an estimated 13 inches of snow at a SNOTEL site.
Heavy snow impacted the area with a public report of 6 inches of snow in Gallup. There were various other reports of 4 to 6 inches of snow within Gallup.
Heavy snow impacted the southwest mountains where a trained spotter estimated 11 inches of snow upslope of Mogollon. Various other reports of 5 to 7 inches of snow were also reported near Luna and within the Gila National Forest on the west periphery of the zone.
Heavy snow impacted areas along the Continental Divide where the emergency manager relayed reports from teams clearing areas of 12 inches of snow.
Heavy snow impacted portions of this zone where a CoCoRaHS station near Tierra Amarilla measured 6 inches of snow. Another report of 5.8 inches of snow as near the western fringe of the zone near the CO border.
Heavy snow impacted a small portion of the zone in Cuba where a trained spotter measured 6 inches of snow. There was another report of 4 inches in Cuba with 2.1 inches at Torreon Navajo Mission.
Heavy snow impacted the northern half of the zone where a trained spotter measured 4 inches of snow near Reserve, NM.
Heavy snow and blowing snow impacted much of the zone causing severe winter travel conditions along U.S. Highway 64 through the Tusas Mountains. There were various reports of 7 to 9 inches of snow across the zone.
Heavy snow and blowing snow impacted the caldera of the Valles Caldera where there was an 18 inch report of snow just west of Los Alamos. There were various other reports of 4 to 9 inches of snow through the Jemez Mountains.
Heavy snow impacted the high terrain of the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains where there was a report of 16 inches of snow in Red River. There were various other reports of 8 to 10 inches of snow across the zone.
Heavy snow impacted the higher terrain of the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains where there was a public report of 22 inches of snow near Santa Fe Ski. There were also various other reports of 8 to 10 inches of snow.
Severe winter travel conditions were reported from snow packed and icy roads with blowing snow along U.S. Highway 64 through the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Heavy snow impacted the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, particularly near Chacon where there were CoCoRaHS reports of 12 to 18 inches of snow. There were also various other reports of 7 to 8 inches of snow within and near the Moreno Valley.
I-25 was closed at Raton Pass with severe winter driving conditions from snow packed and icy roads and blowing snow.
I-25 was closed through the city of Raton with severe winter driving conditions from snow packed and icy roads and blowing snow. U.S. Highway 64 was closed from Raton to Clayton due to snow packed and icy roads along with reduced visibility from blowing snow.
U.S. Highway 64 was closed from Raton to Clayton due to snow packed and icy roads along with reduced visibility from blowing snow.
I-25 was closed at Raton Pass with severe winter driving conditions from snow packed and icy roads and blowing snow with the closure and winter conditions stretching south through the town of Raton.
Heavy snow impacted northern portions of Harding County where there a few reports of 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Heavy snow impacted the northwestern section of the zone where there was a public report of 8 inches of snow just north of Glorieta, NM.
Heavy snow impacted an isolated section of the zone in the foothills by Magdalena where there was a CoCoRaHS report of 4.2 inches just south of town.
Heavy snow impacted the eastern edge of the zone near Taos where there was a nearby report of 8 inches in Valdez. There were various other snow reports of 2 to 5 inches of snow from Taos to Questa.
Heavy snow impacted the East Mountain Communities where there were many reports of 4 to 7 inches of snow in the foothills of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains.
NM Highway 532 between mile marker 0 and 12 was closed due to snow packed, icy, and blizzard conditions.
Heavy snow impacted a small area the zone near the Gallinas Mountains in the Cibola National Forecast where there was a 6 inch report of snow.
The Roswell Industrial Airport ASOS reported a peak gust of 59 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, February 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: 1077872, 1070604, 1070610, 1077873, 1070598, 1070601, 1070611, 1070642, 1077874, 1070626, 1070632, 1070643, 1077875, 1070645, 1070646, 1070648, 1077883, 1077884, 1070624, 1070641, 1077876, 1077879, 1070644, 1070640, 1070560.