A strong segment of the jetstream brought high winds over NM on March 11, 2023. These high winds overrode the Sangre de Cristo Mountains reaching down to the adjacent northeastern highlands along I-25 from Las Vegas to Raton, NM.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 segment of the jetstream brought high winds over NM on March 11, 2023. These high winds overrode the Sangre de Cristo Mountains reaching down to the adjacent northeastern highlands along I-25 from Las Vegas to Raton, NM. Peak gusts reaching to near or over 60 mph were recorded at these two towns. Strong westerly winds also reaching down to the surface over the east-central plains of NM along the I-40 corridor through Guadalupe and Quay Counties. Peak gusts above 60 mph were recorded by mesonet stations in western Guadalupe County and at the Tucumcari Airport in Quay 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 Mar 10, 10:28 PM MST, 4 hours 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1028 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 ...New UPDATE, AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 1025 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 Added a few zones to the Wind Advisory starting at 4 am Saturday, although the Chaves County Plains won't likely start blowing that hard that early. Also added patchy blowing snow to the Tusas and Sangre de Cristo peaks. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 236 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 Winds will begin ramping up tonight ahead of a storm system. Chances for valley rain and mountain snow trend up as well across portions of northern New Mexico. Temperatures will trend cooler tomorrow across a majority of the area, with the exception of a few locales in eastern New Mexico. Moderate to strong west winds will take hold in the afternoon, diminishing after sunset. Precipitation will spread eastward across northern New Mexico on Sunday. Quieter weather expected on Monday and Tuesday before the next storm system sets its sights on the area mid next week. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 236 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 Top-down moistening is taking place from west to east today as a rich tap of Pacific moisture streams eastward on a 130 kt upper jet. Surface winds have ramped up in many areas with gusts of 30 to 40 kt common along the central mt chain and far western NM. These winds are a signal of stronger winds arriving late tonight and Saturday with the approach of the upper jet max. Valley rain showers and mt snow will increase over the north and west as orographic lift strengthens as well. Mt waves will amplify along the central mt chain after midnight with gusts up to 65 mph expected in a few locales before sunrise. These winds will spread to much of the central highlands and eastern plains Saturday with deep mixing and well above normal temps. The High Wind Watches were upgraded to Warnings for much of central and eastern NM while Wind Advisories were expanded for much of the western and southern high terrain. Temps are relatively warm in association with this Pacific moisture so snow levels will be fairly high within the Tusas Mts tonight and Saturday. However, heavy wet snowfall is likely above 9,000 feet with amounts great enough to take down tree branches and powerlines. Travel impacts may be more limited to the higher passes north and east of Chama with only a couple inches accumulating below 8,000 feet. Snow levels do fall Saturday night however the primary wave of moisture begins to shift east of the region with additional accums on the lighter side. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 236 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 Northwest flow aloft will bring brisk winds to the usual suspects across the central highlands on Sunday afternoon. As the previous day's system works to eject into the plains, continued lift and moisture will give rise to valley rain and mountain snow across the northern mountains and surrounding lowlands. Very nominal snowfall accumulations are expected across the high terrain. With the exception of lingering precipitation in the northern mts, quieter weather is expected on Monday and Tuesday in the regime weak high pressure. Unsettled weather makes its return by midweek, however, with a parade of shortwave troughs being brought through the area. New evolution of this system has come to light with the 12Z runs of the ECMWF and CMC, both now touting a piece of energy being pinched off and attempting to close into an upper low just to our north. This would change the system's behavior from the clipper previously advertised. The newer resolution of the storm would likely bring increased winds and longer moisture residence. Given less than stellar run-to-run consistency, did not deviate much from the NBM in regards to PoPs. Regardless of consistency via these new developments, a two-tiered frontal assault is on the docket for northern and central New Mexico on Wednesday into Thursday. Blustery winds and precipitation will be on the menu, the extent of both depending on how well the models resolve the incoming trough. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1025 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 Moist and strong sw to wly flow at mt top levels. Mt obscurations in lower elevation rain and mt rain and snow most likely from the Chuska mts ewd over the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mts and nwd to the CO border with more isolated showers as far south as I-40 from KGUP area to the Contdvd. Sw winds to strengthen again by or aft 11/06Z along and near the central mt chain with gusts to around 45- 55kt possible. These winds will spread over east central NM and become more nwly aft 11/18Z while a frontal boundary sags into far ne NM by 11/21Z. Sw-wly wind gusts to 40-45kt over southwest and west central NM aft 11/15Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 236 PM MST Fri Mar 10 2023 A rich plume of moisture approaching from the west will lead to top down moistening across northern and western NM thru Saturday. Valley rain showers and mt snow will develop across the north and west into tonight. Strong winds will continue in the higher terrain overnight then expand to more of central and eastern NM Saturday. The coverage of critical fire weather conditions is on the marginal side given the moisture advection and cloud cover so will hold off on upgrades to the Fire Wx Watch for Saturday. Valley rain showers and mt snow will continue at times over northern NM Sunday and Monday with less wind than recent days. Temps will also cool closer to normal across the region. A ridge of high pressure is expected to crest over the area on Tuesday before the next potential storm system arrives on Wednesday with more wind, fire weather, rain showers, and mt snow. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 41 57 36 56 / 60 80 50 20 Dulce........................... 33 51 29 48 / 90 90 40 40 Cuba............................ 39 55 32 51 / 30 70 50 30 Gallup.......................... 38 59 34 56 / 5 30 40 10 El Morro........................ 39 55 34 53 / 5 30 30 10 Grants.......................... 37 61 32 58 / 0 30 30 10 Quemado......................... 40 60 35 57 / 5 20 10 5 Magdalena....................... 44 66 39 61 / 0 5 0 5 Datil........................... 41 61 35 57 / 0 5 5 0 Reserve......................... 38 65 37 63 / 0 5 5 0 Glenwood........................ 45 66 43 65 / 0 5 0 0 Chama........................... 31 44 26 42 / 90 90 40 50 Los Alamos...................... 43 56 35 52 / 30 60 30 30 Pecos........................... 41 57 32 53 / 20 40 20 30 Cerro/Questa.................... 40 51 32 48 / 40 60 30 50 Red River....................... 33 46 26 41 / 50 60 30 60 Angel Fire...................... 34 45 27 43 / 50 50 30 60 Taos............................ 38 56 32 51 / 50 50 20 30 Mora............................ 42 55 31 51 / 20 30 10 30 Espanola........................ 41 64 35 59 / 30 50 20 20 Santa Fe........................ 42 58 34 54 / 20 50 30 40 Santa Fe Airport................ 39 62 33 57 / 20 40 20 20 Albuquerque Foothills........... 49 65 41 61 / 10 20 10 20 Albuquerque Heights............. 47 67 41 64 / 10 10 10 10 Albuquerque Valley.............. 46 70 40 66 / 5 10 5 10 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 46 68 39 63 / 10 10 10 10 Belen........................... 45 72 40 68 / 5 10 5 5 Bernalillo...................... 46 67 39 63 / 10 20 20 10 Bosque Farms.................... 44 71 38 67 / 5 10 5 5 Corrales........................ 45 68 39 64 / 10 20 10 10 Los Lunas....................... 43 71 38 67 / 5 10 5 5 Placitas........................ 48 64 39 60 / 20 30 20 20 Rio Rancho...................... 46 67 40 63 / 10 20 10 10 Socorro......................... 46 76 44 70 / 5 5 0 5 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 45 58 37 55 / 20 30 10 20 Tijeras......................... 43 62 37 58 / 10 30 10 20 Edgewood........................ 43 61 36 58 / 10 30 10 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 40 64 34 59 / 10 20 10 20 Clines Corners.................. 42 59 34 56 / 5 10 5 20 Mountainair..................... 44 64 38 59 / 5 5 5 10 Gran Quivira.................... 44 65 39 61 / 5 5 0 10 Carrizozo....................... 52 72 45 64 / 5 5 0 5 Ruidoso......................... 48 64 41 58 / 5 5 0 5 Capulin......................... 41 62 26 48 / 0 30 30 40 Raton........................... 41 65 28 53 / 0 20 30 40 Springer........................ 44 65 31 57 / 0 5 10 30 Las Vegas....................... 44 61 31 56 / 5 10 5 20 Clayton......................... 43 64 28 50 / 0 20 30 20 Roy............................. 45 66 29 54 / 0 5 10 20 Conchas......................... 50 74 34 64 / 0 0 5 10 Santa Rosa...................... 50 70 37 64 / 0 0 0 10 Tucumcari....................... 50 75 34 62 / 0 0 5 10 Clovis.......................... 47 75 36 64 / 0 0 0 10 Portales........................ 50 77 37 66 / 0 0 0 10 Fort Sumner..................... 46 75 40 67 / 0 0 0 10 Roswell......................... 48 85 47 76 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 51 74 47 69 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 51 71 45 66 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 10 AM to 6 PM MST Saturday for NMZ231>237. Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday afternoon for NMZ104-106-123-125-126. Wind Advisory from 4 AM to 6 PM MST Saturday for NMZ202-206>208- 222-224>226-238>241. Winter Storm Warning until 6 PM MST Saturday for NMZ210. High Wind Warning until 2 PM MST Saturday for NMZ213>215. Wind Advisory until 4 AM MST Saturday for NMZ212-221-223-229. High Wind Warning from 4 AM to 6 PM MST Saturday for NMZ223-228- 229. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A peak wind gust of 64 mph was observed at the Las Vegas Airport.
A peak wind gust of 59 mph was observed at the Raton Municipal Airport.
A peak wind gust of 67 mph was observed by the SE Vaughn mesonet station.
A high sustained wind of 41 mph was observed by the Thompson Cattle mesonet station.
A peak wind gust of 58 mph was observed by the Thompson Cattle mesonet station.
A peak wind gust of 61 mph was observed at the Tucumcari Airport.
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, March 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: 1076229, 1076228, 1076230, 1076231, 1076232, 1076233.