Strong westerly to southwesterly winds ahead of an approaching upper low impacted portions of central and eastern NM. Peak gusts of 58 to 64 mph were observed from the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains over to Union County.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
Strong westerly to southwesterly winds ahead of an approaching upper low impacted portions of central and eastern NM. Peak gusts of 58 to 64 mph were observed from the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains over to Union County.
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 21, 10:45 AM MST, 35 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1045 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 234 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 A widespread and damaging high wind winter storm is on track to impact nearly all of northern and central NM Wednesday. Strong westerly winds across eastern NM today will be a teaser for winds reaching 40 to 50 mph with gusts upwards of 70 to 80+ mph Wednesday afternoon. The strongest of these winds looks to impact the south- central mountains near Ruidoso. Snow and blowing snow producing blizzard conditions will focus through the southwestern mountains, with shorter-lived blizzard conditions through the western and northern high terrain. Accumulations of 10 to 20 inches is forecast generally above 8,500 feet through western and northern NM, with lesser amounts of a dusting up to 4 to 6 inches through valley areas of western, northern and central NM. The eastern plains will miss out on snow. Widespread travel impacts are expected from winter weather. Conditions improve Wednesday night into Thursday morning with a relative break in the weather lasting through Saturday. The next less impactful winter storm system looks to reach the forecast area Sunday. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Wednesday) Issued at 234 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 Forecast confidence remains high that a very rare winter storm will impact NM on Wednesday with extreme winds, periods of heavy snow in the high terrain, widespread blowing snow, and significant blowing dust. First, an unseasonably moist fetch of subtropical moisture will stream northeast with a 700-500mb layer jet strengthening to near 60kt over eastern NM. Surface low pressure will deepen to near 987mb over southeast CO and allow surface winds to increase along and east of the central mt chain. Widespread Wind Advisory speeds are in store with perhaps a localized gust near 60 mph along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mts. Deep moisture surging north with the subtropical jet will continue to spread rain showers toward the I-40 corridor by late day. CAMs indicate enough instability for a a couple of storms as well around the RGV and nearby high terrain. H5 pressure heights will fall quickly tonight as an exceptionally rare 520dm H5 low deepens across the Great Basin. This system is outside the NAEFS 30-year climo and the airmass ahead of the wave remains moist with GEFS PW values +2 to +3 stdev above climo. Rain and high terrain snow will spread to all west-facing slopes by this evening with snow levels falling to around 6,500' from west to east thru sunrise. Meanwhile, 700-500mb layer winds increase to btwn 80 and 100kt across southwest NM. Surface wind gusts from the ECMWF Extreme Forecast Index are maxed out for late February going back 21 years. All these extremes will come together Wednesday to produce a widespread, high impact weather event for NM. Wind gusts of 65 to 85 mph are expected from the high terrain of the Gila Wilderness across Lincoln County into portions of eastern NM where damage is likely to trees, powerlines, and lightweight structures. High profile vehicles and cargo trains may be toppled. Blowing dust may reduce visibility below one-half mile at times downwind of dust prone locations with potential for Dust Storm Warnings. Even areas farther north toward the ABQ metro and Sandia/Manzanos may see wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph as a powerful Pacific front surges in from the west. The Pacific cold front will bring a period of intense snowfall rates to the western high terrain as it marches east across the Cont Dvd Wednesday. 700mb temps fall to near -14C with the front which will enhance areas of blowing snow and freeze any wet surfaces quickly Wednesday evening. Winter Storm Warnings have been expanded to more of northern and western NM with widespread High Wind Warnings across central and eastern NM. Several hours with blizzard conditions are possible in the Gila and in the higher terrain outside of Ruidoso. Blizzard messaging will be handled in the Winter Storm Warning for simplicity sake with upgrades possible from further coordination with surrounding offices and WPC. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday night through Monday) Issued at 234 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 The high wind winter storm system quickly exits the area Wednesday night with the main 80-90kt H7 jetmax falling back to 40-50kts over New Mexico. The high wind threat will subside overnight into Thursday morning as a result. Snow and precipitation will also end as the main upper level dynamics exit the area with mainly orographically driven snow through the western and northwestern high terrain. Upper level flow turns southwesterly through the day Thursday with a synoptic scale troughing pattering remaining over the western CONUS. This will keep persistent chances for snow going through the northwestern high terrain. High temperatures Thursday will be little changed from Wednesday’s values, but it should feel warmer given the lower wind potential. The exception will be Union County where high temperatures will greatly depend on the placement of the leading edge of a cold front advancing into the area from the north. High temperatures across the western and northern NM will also likely be lower where remnant substantial snowfall remains from Wednesday’s storm system. By Friday, the aforementioned cold front near Clayton will advance southward along the TX border delaying any warmup there. Current global model solutions are showing the frontal boundary struggling to advance westward to the Pecos River, so warmer temperatures look to remain along the Pecos, but only by 5-10F. Models are also depicting a tongue of low-level Gulf moisture workings its way northward ahead of the frontal boundary into far southeastern NM. This could lead to some morning fog or low clouds somewhere from Roswell to Portales Friday morning. This fog and low cloud potential looks to repeat Saturday morning. Meanwhile, southwesterly flow aloft remains favoring limited snow to the northwestern high terrain in Rio Arriba County. By the weekend, the synoptic scale troughing pattern over the western CONUS produces a closed H5 low moving ashore southern CA. Saturday looks to see fairly pleasant weather ahead of this storm systems arrival into western NM Saturday night into Sunday morning. Model solutions currently track the core of this storm system over northern NM, either opening to a trough or staying closed over CO. Either solution favors winter precipitation focused along or north of I-40 with strong winds along and south of I-40 during the day Sunday. This system does not look as strong as what is currently forecast for Wednesday. Conditions clear out through the day Monday to start next week. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1037 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist today, but deterioration is forecast overnight into Wednesday morning with the onset and expansion of showers. Mountain obscurations are forecast to become widespread late tonight and Wednesday morning. In addition, winds aloft are forecast to increase significantly through the TAF period, with low level wind shear and the development of mountain waves. Winds will become increasingly hazardous Wednesday morning, but are forecast to peak after the end of the TAF period. In the meantime, strong winds are forecast across eastern NM today, with frequent gusts to between 35-45kts at KTCC and KLVS. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 234 AM MST Tue Feb 21 2023 A powerful storm system moving across NM today and Wednesday will lead to widespread strong to possibly damaging winds, blowing dust, areas of rain, heavy mountain snow and blowing snow, and significant snow accums in the higher terrain. Southwest winds will be strong enough to produce critical fire weather conditions today along the TX border and over northeast NM despite min RH values in the 20 to 25% range. Wind gusts will increase to between 65 and 85 mph into Wednesday with additional critical fire weather conditions possible near the TX state line. Farther west, periods of heavy snow will produce 1 to 2 feet of snow in the northern and western mts thru Thursday morning. A break in the weather is expected Friday and Saturday before another storm system moves into the area Sunday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 52 34 39 21 / 5 50 70 30 Dulce........................... 46 27 35 14 / 5 90 100 60 Cuba............................ 48 29 36 14 / 10 60 80 20 Gallup.......................... 50 30 34 20 / 20 60 80 30 El Morro........................ 48 29 33 16 / 20 40 70 30 Grants.......................... 53 28 37 17 / 10 30 60 20 Quemado......................... 52 30 36 20 / 30 40 60 20 Magdalena....................... 56 33 42 21 / 20 20 30 5 Datil........................... 52 30 37 19 / 20 40 50 10 Reserve......................... 53 28 36 22 / 50 80 90 40 Glenwood........................ 56 33 40 26 / 70 90 90 50 Chama........................... 39 23 30 8 / 20 90 100 60 Los Alamos...................... 51 32 36 18 / 10 70 90 20 Pecos........................... 49 30 40 15 / 10 70 80 20 Cerro/Questa.................... 43 30 34 11 / 10 60 90 30 Red River....................... 36 22 29 6 / 10 70 100 40 Angel Fire...................... 39 23 32 10 / 10 70 90 40 Taos............................ 46 29 35 14 / 10 70 80 20 Mora............................ 49 30 40 13 / 5 50 70 10 Espanola........................ 56 34 43 21 / 5 50 80 10 Santa Fe........................ 49 31 38 16 / 10 80 80 20 Santa Fe Airport................ 53 32 41 19 / 10 70 80 10 Albuquerque Foothills........... 56 38 45 21 / 20 60 60 5 Albuquerque Heights............. 58 37 48 25 / 20 50 50 5 Albuquerque Valley.............. 61 37 49 27 / 20 40 40 5 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 58 36 48 24 / 20 50 50 5 Belen........................... 62 37 52 26 / 20 30 30 5 Bernalillo...................... 59 37 47 24 / 20 50 60 5 Bosque Farms.................... 61 36 50 26 / 20 40 40 5 Corrales........................ 59 36 48 24 / 20 50 50 5 Los Lunas....................... 61 36 51 26 / 20 40 30 5 Placitas........................ 55 36 45 21 / 20 60 60 10 Rio Rancho...................... 58 36 46 23 / 20 50 50 5 Socorro......................... 63 37 52 26 / 20 20 20 5 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 50 32 39 16 / 30 70 70 10 Tijeras......................... 54 34 42 19 / 30 70 70 10 Edgewood........................ 53 32 44 17 / 20 60 60 5 Moriarty/Estancia............... 56 30 46 18 / 20 60 50 5 Clines Corners.................. 52 30 41 19 / 10 60 50 10 Mountainair..................... 54 31 44 20 / 30 50 40 5 Gran Quivira.................... 55 32 44 23 / 30 40 40 10 Carrizozo....................... 58 36 44 31 / 30 40 50 20 Ruidoso......................... 52 30 39 29 / 50 60 60 30 Capulin......................... 55 31 47 14 / 0 10 40 0 Raton........................... 57 29 50 16 / 0 10 30 0 Springer........................ 60 31 52 19 / 0 10 30 0 Las Vegas....................... 55 32 45 17 / 5 30 50 5 Clayton......................... 66 39 56 21 / 0 0 10 0 Roy............................. 62 36 51 20 / 0 10 20 0 Conchas......................... 69 42 59 26 / 0 10 20 0 Santa Rosa...................... 66 39 55 26 / 5 10 20 0 Tucumcari....................... 71 42 60 28 / 0 10 5 0 Clovis.......................... 69 40 60 30 / 0 20 0 0 Portales........................ 71 42 62 31 / 0 20 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 70 41 59 29 / 5 10 5 0 Roswell......................... 74 43 64 34 / 5 20 0 0 Picacho......................... 66 39 53 34 / 5 10 10 5 Elk............................. 61 35 49 35 / 30 40 20 10 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday for NMZ201-204-216. Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-126. Wind Advisory until 7 PM MST this evening for NMZ213>215-223- 226>237-239-240. High Wind Warning from 8 AM Wednesday to 2 AM MST Thursday for NMZ207-212-218>225-227>241. Winter Storm Warning from 8 PM this evening to 5 AM MST Thursday for NMZ202-203-205-206-208>211-213>215. Wind Advisory from 8 AM Wednesday to 2 AM MST Thursday for NMZ217. High Wind Warning from 7 PM this evening to 5 AM MST Thursday for NMZ226. && SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM....24 AVIATION...42
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A gust of 58 mph was observed at the Las Vegas Municipal Airport.
A gust of 64 mph was observed at the Clayton Airport.
A gust of 59 mph was observed at a mesonet station southeast of Vaughn in southwestern Guadalupe County.
A gust of 59 mph was observed at Clines Corners.
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: 1071024, 1071025, 1071026, 1071022.