A strong portion of the jetstream overrode the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, reaching the surface during the afternoon of March 5, 2023 and lasting overnight into the early hours of March 6, 2023. Peak wind gusts of 60 to 71 mph were observed, with the highest gust of 71 being observed in the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
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.
A strong portion of the jetstream overrode the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, reaching the surface during the afternoon of March 5, 2023 and lasting overnight into the early hours of March 6, 2023. Peak wind gusts of 60 to 71 mph were observed, with the highest gust of 71 being observed in the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. High wind gusts also reached down to the I-25 corridor between Las Vegas and Raton.
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 5, 10:29 AM MST, 2 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1029 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 300 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 Strong to damaging winds gusting to around 65 mph are expected today over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and adjacent Northeast Highlands with windy conditions over the Northeast and East Central Plains, Central Highlands, South Central Mountains as well as portions of far western New Mexico. Winds will taper down this evening over all but the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Winds won't be quite as strong on Monday. Critical fire weather conditions are expected over much of eastern New Mexico today and from the Central Highlands to the Northeast Plains Monday. A cold front will waver back and forth over eastern New Mexico starting Tuesday while storm systems pass to the north of the state. Forecast models are undecided whether any of the systems will drop far enough south to impact New Mexico, but one may later this week. It's more certain breezy to windy conditions will persist with cooler temperatures mid to late this week. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Monday) Issued at 300 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 Strong winds and critical fire weather conditions remain on tap today. A deep upper level low continues to churn off the Pac NW coast while the upper level jet surges across CO and northern NM today. 7H winds are already increasing to between 40 and 55 kts and this is confirmed with Kachina Peak at Taos Ski Valley already gusting to near 50 mph. A relatively weak surface low over southeast CO is expected, near 1000mb, but it should be sufficient combined with daytime mixing for strong to potentially damaging winds to occur across northeast and east central NM. Did add the Tusas Mtns, Upper RGV and the Glorieta Mesa into the Wind Advisory, but no other changes were made. Patchy blowing dust is possible with these stronger winds across lower elevations. Otherwise, temperatures will continue to warm, especially across eastern NM with strong downsloping. Most areas across eastern NM will be 8 to 15 degrees above normal. The boundary layer will remain somewhat mixed overnight, thus low temperatures will be rather warm, similarly to this morning. Winds will remain strong to potentially damaging overnight across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as 50+kt 7H winds persist. Of particular concern will be the east slopes as mountain wave activity seems likely. Winds on Monday are not expected to be as strong as today as 7H winds relax throughout the day. Nonetheless, it will remain gusty, particularly along and east of the Sangre de Cristo Mtns. Temperatures will remain warm, perhaps even a degree or two warmer than today. && .LONG TERM... (Monday night through Saturday) Issued at 300 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 There is considerable uncertainty in the long term period. Forecast models have not been in any sort of agreement, and have varied wildly from run to run between a strong trough impacting the state, to strong westerly flow to ridging. There is also uncertainty regarding the timing and westward extent as a cold front wavers back and forth over eastern New Mexico starting Tuesday. The NAM12 is most aggressive, bringing the boundary as far west as the central mountain chain by early Wednesday morning, while other operational models don't bring it nearly as far west and even proceed to push it back to the north and east of New Mexico Thursday. At the same time, westerly flow aloft would keep storm systems to the north of the state, until potentially Thursday or Friday, although that isn't certain either. What does seem more likely is breezy to windy conditions will continue during the week, and temperatures will cool down. There is some consistency in a tap of moisture passing overhead Monday night into Tuesday that may result in some sprinkles south of I-40 but likely nothing very measurable. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1015 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 Windy conditions and mountain wave activity will be the primary aviation hazards today through midday Monday, as a strong segment of the polar jet stream has nosed into the Rockies. The strongest southwest winds will be found along the Sangre de Cristo mountains and immediately downwind (northeast) of these peaks where gusts will reach 55 kt at times. Gusts of 35 to 45 kt will be more common over northeastern New Mexico this afternoon and also over and near other high terrain of western, central and south central areas of the state. Lighter, but still gusty speeds are expected in remaining areas. Any lower elevation locations will observe a decrease in winds around sunset this evening, but strong winds aloft will continue to buffet mountain ridges and peaks with low level wind shear redeveloping to the east northeast of these higher terrain locations. Winds aloft will reduce in speed by Monday afternoon, but breezy to windy conditions will still be common at the surface. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 300 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NM TODAY AND MONDAY... Critical fire weather conditions are expected for all of eastern NM today. Winds are already increasing across the high terrain, but will rapidly expand to lower elevations across eastern NM late this morning. These strong winds combined with humidity values falling into the single digits and above normal temperatures will result in several hours of critical conditions today. On Monday, winds will not be as strong, but will be sufficient for another round of critical fire weather conditions across northeast NM as well as the central highlands. As a result, the Fire Weather Watch for these areas has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. Breezy to windy conditions will return on Tuesday along and just east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with spotty critical conditions possible across the Northeast Highlands. A backdoor cold front will flirt with northeast NM starting Tuesday and may push well into eastern NM Tuesday night, but models are at odds with this feature. A trough or upper low may shift eastward north of the state Thursday and Friday. Models are struggling with the strength and timing of this system, but it is possible that another round of strong winds and critical fire weather conditions impact NM. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 59 28 59 31 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 52 20 55 25 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 55 27 58 30 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 57 28 59 31 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 54 27 56 30 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 59 24 61 28 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 57 31 60 33 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 61 37 63 39 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 55 31 58 33 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 60 25 63 32 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 62 32 64 40 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 45 17 47 22 / 5 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 54 33 57 33 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 55 32 57 33 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 48 28 50 29 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 43 21 46 23 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 44 22 45 23 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 54 24 56 25 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 53 34 57 31 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 62 30 65 33 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 57 32 59 33 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 59 30 61 33 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 62 39 64 41 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 65 37 66 41 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 67 35 67 41 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 66 35 66 39 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 69 34 71 40 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 65 35 66 39 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 68 32 70 40 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 66 35 66 39 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 68 32 70 40 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 63 37 64 39 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 65 36 67 39 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 72 39 73 44 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 59 36 61 36 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 60 37 62 37 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 60 35 62 35 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 63 31 65 33 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 58 34 61 34 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 63 37 65 38 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 64 38 65 39 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 67 47 68 45 / 0 0 0 5 Ruidoso......................... 60 42 62 42 / 0 0 0 5 Capulin......................... 59 28 61 29 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 62 27 63 26 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 64 29 66 28 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 63 34 63 33 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 69 31 68 32 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 65 33 68 35 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 73 38 74 39 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 71 37 71 41 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 75 40 75 41 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 75 38 74 42 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 77 38 76 42 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 74 39 76 43 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 81 39 82 44 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 71 45 73 43 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 68 44 71 42 / 0 0 0 5 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ202-205-210-212- 216-223-226-230>234. Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-123-125- 126. Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 6 PM MST Monday for NMZ104-123- 125. High Wind Warning until 5 AM MST Monday for NMZ213>215. High Wind Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ227>229. && SHORT TERM...34 LONG TERM....99 AVIATION...52
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1221 PM MST SUN MAR 5 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1132 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 E STORRIE LAKE STATE 35.65N 105.13W
03/05/2023 M58 MPH SAN MIGUEL NM ASOS
ASOS STATION KLVS LAS VEGAS MUNI AIRPORT.
&&
BTSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1242 PM MST SUN MAR 5 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1215 PM HIGH SUST WINDS 11 SE VAUGHN 34.48N 105.08W
03/05/2023 M40 MPH GUADALUPE NM MESONET
MESONET STATION NMC40 SE VAUGHN.
&&
RTJThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Raton Municipal Airport ASOS measured a high sustained wind speed of 41 mph.
A public weather station in Rainsville measured a high sustained wind speed of 43 mph.
The Las Vegas Airport ASOS measured a high sustained wind speed of 66 mph.
A public weather station at Kachina Peak measured a peak gust of 71 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, 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: 1074329, 1074328, 1074330, 1074327.