It was a very dry and mild December across New Mexico. Some light snow fell across northeast New Mexico late December 9th into early December 10th and across the northern mountains Christmas Day and December 27th.
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.
It was a very dry and mild December across New Mexico. Some light snow fell across northeast New Mexico late December 9th into early December 10th and across the northern mountains Christmas Day and December 27th. No change in drought conditions were observed during the month. December ended up being the 2nd warmest December on record for Albuquerque and Roswell and the 5th warmest on record for Clayton. For the entire year, 2024 ended up being the warmest years on record for Albuquerque and Roswell and the 4th warmest for Clayton.
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 Nov 30, 10:22 PM MST, 1 hour 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1022 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1018 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 - Fair weather will persist with a slow warming trend through next week, bringing daytime temperatures above normal most areas by Wednesday and Thursday. - Fog may develop over parts of southeast NM Tuesday morning with low visibility and difficult travel conditions. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 212 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 Pleasant fall weather is in store through the end of next week for nearly the entire region. Temperatures will trend warmer each day with readings above normal areawide by Wednesday and Thursday. Winds will be light with only a few weak wind shifts expected over northeast NM. The only exception to the tranquil weather may be an area of fog over parts of southeast NM Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Sunday night) Issued at 212 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 Tranquil weather will persist for an extended period as a series of frivolous disturbances shear apart across NM. Weak northwest flow over the area today will transition to a shortwave ridge thru Sunday. A very dry airmass with light winds will continue to allow for very cold min temps across the north and west with very strong inversions again tonight. Max temps Sunday will still be cool with more cirrus overhead. Sunday night will be cold again with light winds and clear skies. && .LONG TERM... (Monday through Friday) Issued at 212 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 A weak shortwave ridge over the area Monday morning will transition to southwest flow aloft thru Tuesday as the first of several upper level waves shear apart across NM. Moist, low level return flow ahead of this wave will increase the potential for fog to develop over the southeast plains Tuesday morning. Another round of fog may form Wednesday morning as moist, low level return flow continues beneath a second wave approaching from AZ. The rest of the area will remain dry and mild with light winds and sunny skies Wednesday. A weak backdoor cold front is likely to introduce much drier air into eastern NM Wednesday night and Thursday. Moist, return flow then returns to the southeast plains Thursday night and Friday while the second upper wave shears southward over AZ and NM. The most notable topic for the majority of the region next week will likely become increasing haze and deteriorating air quality. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1018 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions persist through the TAF period with a slight increase in high cirrus Sunday afternoon. Winds will remain light, generally under 10kts with the exception of a northerly terrain based drainage wind at KSAF forecast tonight. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 212 PM MST Sat Nov 30 2024 A benign weather pattern will persist over the southwest U.S. thru next week. Very dry and cool conditions today and Sunday will give way to warming temps and increasing low level moisture by Monday. Winds will be light areawide with poor ventilation over the majority of the region thru late next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 16 47 18 51 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 10 53 14 56 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 19 53 20 53 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 10 54 12 56 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 22 55 23 57 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 15 57 16 57 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 21 59 22 61 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 28 57 29 56 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 25 59 26 58 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 21 67 21 66 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 29 69 28 69 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 12 50 15 52 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 25 50 27 51 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 24 57 24 54 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 17 50 20 50 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 7 49 9 49 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 8 49 8 48 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 9 52 11 52 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 20 57 21 55 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 19 57 21 57 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 27 52 28 52 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 24 53 24 53 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 33 55 32 56 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 27 56 28 57 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 22 57 23 58 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 26 56 27 56 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 21 57 21 58 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 23 57 25 58 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 21 56 20 58 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 22 57 24 58 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 21 56 21 57 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 27 53 28 54 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 25 56 26 56 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 28 60 29 61 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 23 52 25 52 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 21 53 22 54 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 19 54 20 54 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 17 56 15 56 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 24 52 24 51 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 23 56 23 56 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 23 57 24 57 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 33 61 33 61 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 30 60 30 57 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 23 49 22 46 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 18 54 19 51 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 17 52 17 49 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 24 54 23 52 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 28 53 28 52 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 24 52 24 48 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 23 57 24 56 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 28 57 27 54 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 23 55 24 56 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 29 58 30 58 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 27 58 27 58 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 24 59 25 56 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 32 62 33 58 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 33 65 32 58 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 32 66 31 60 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...42 LONG TERM....42 AVIATION...24
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Localized severe drought conditions persisted across the far southeast portion of the zone, mainly southeast of U.S Highway 70.
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
Severe drought conditions persisted in the southern portion of the zone, mainly south of U.S. Highway 70.
Severe drought conditions persisted across a majority of the zone.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2024
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: 1221902, 1221903, 1221904, 1221905.