New Mexico, 2024High Wind in New Mexico, May 1, 2024
May 1, 2024 · NWS ABQ · 1 event in 1 county or zone
An upper level disturbance moved across the central Rockies during the day increasing upper-level winds across New Mexico. Deep daytime mixing allowed these stronger winds aloft to mix down to the surface resulting in a brief high wind gust at the Clayton Municipal Airport.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
An upper level disturbance moved across the central Rockies during the day increasing upper-level winds across New Mexico. Deep daytime mixing allowed these stronger winds aloft to mix down to the surface resulting in a brief high wind gust at the Clayton Municipal Airport. Winds tapered off in the evening hours around sunset as the upper-level disturbance exited east.
What forecasters said that day
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 May 1, 2:01 PM MST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 1, 2:01 PM MST, 47 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...CORRECTED
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
301 PM MDT Wed May 1 2024
...New SYNOPSIS, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, FIRE WEATHER...
.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 202 PM MDT Wed May 1 2024
Critical fire weather across eastern NM today gives way
to cooler temperatures and higher moisture starting Thursday, with
reinforcing moisture advancing to the east slopes of the central
mountain chain Friday and Saturday. Low clouds and isolated patchy
fog could result each morning, but the real highlight is an
increased chance for afternoon thunderstorms over east-central NM
Saturday afternoon and evening. This moisture is shunted back into
TX Sunday with the return of strong, dry and warm southwesterly
flow. Strong winds and critical fire weather are expected to spread
across the state again Sunday afternoon. Cooler temperatures and
continued windy conditions begin next work week, with a steady
warming trend Tuesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Thursday night)
Issued at 202 PM MDT Wed May 1 2024
Very dry and warm southwest winds have spread across the region
today ahead of an approaching upper level trough. Winds will then
taper off after sunset in most areas except the higher terrain. A
backdoor cold front is still on target to surge south thru eastern
NM overnight. The front is expected to push thru Clayton by 2am,
Tucumcari around 4am, then Clovis by 6am. Dewpoints will rise behind
the front with low stratus possible near Tucumcari close to sunrise.
The Pacific portion of this front will enter the Four Corners region
by sunrise then spread into the RGV thru late morning. This is an
exceptionally dry airmass with dewpoints at or below zero possible.
Northwest winds will become breezy for the western half of NM while
the backdoor cold front washes out across eastern NM. Just enough
shear and instability may be available across far northeast NM by
the afternoon to support some showers over Union County. The front
across eastern NM will push westward Friday night with deepening
boundary layer moisture and potential for widespread low stratus
across the plains. Patchy fog is possible near the TX border as well
but NBM visibility probs of <5 miles are still <25% at this time.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Friday through Tuesday)
Issued at 202 PM MDT Wed May 1 2024
Friday morning begins the long term period with a
backdoor front having advanced to the east slopes of the central
mountain chain. An influx of cooler temperatures and higher moisture
will result in a bank of low clouds across eastern NM and perhaps a
few isolated spots of patchy fog in the highlands. Southwest flow
will push this boundary back toward TX in the afternoon before a
reinforcing backdoor front swashes cooler temperatures and higher
moisture back to the central mountain chain Friday night through
Saturday morning. Confidence is growing this push will advance
through the gaps of the central mountain chain producing a strong
east canyon wind at Santa Fe and ABQ, gusting 25 to 35 mph.
The suite of numerical model guidance has come into better agreement
about the evolution of the synoptic and mesoscale setup regarding
convective potential over eastern NM Saturday afternoon and evening.
The ECMWF in particular has trended sharply toward the GFS solution
of a deeper closed low near the PacNW while the reinforcing backdoor
cold front advances further south and west through eastern NM. This
will place the convergent boundary between this cold front and Gulf
moisture advancing northward from TX somewhere from Clovis to Hobbs
Saturday afternoon. Convective initiation would favor this
convergent area Saturday afternoon with a few pulse severe storms
possible. Model solutions also depict outflow boundaries from this
activity pushing back westward through eastern NM Saturday night and
to the gaps of the central mountain chain Sunday morning. Secondary
showers and convective activity is possible along these outflow
boundaries across eastern NM Saturday night as well.
The aforementioned H5 closed low advances over the Great Basin
region Sunday afternoon bringing a strong jet max and a dry slot of
strong southwesterly winds invading western and central NM, pushing
the low-level moisture across eastern NM back to TX. Windy
conditions will likely interrupt any outdoor activities Sunday
afternoon, while blowing dust will also be likely in favored spots
through western and central NM. The trough axis and associated
Pacific cold front advances eastward across NM Sunday night and
Monday morning with some hope for light precipitation and high
elevation snow reaching the northern mountains along the CO border.
Windy conditions remain favored area wide Monday and Tuesday with NM
remaining at the base of a large synoptic troughing pattern over the
western CONUS.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1135 AM MDT Wed May 1 2024
Southwest winds will strengthen this afternoon with gusts of 25 to
35 kt common at terminals by 20Z. An upper level trough will slide
into the area tonight with increasing turbulence along the central
mt chain. A backdoor cold front will then slide south into eastern
NM with a northerly wind shift and MVFR low cig development from
near KCAO to KTCC aft 09Z. Confidence is not high enough to place
BKN cigs at KTCC at this time. A Pacific cold front will also enter
northwest NM around sunrise with a northwest wind shift to the RGV
thru late Friday morning.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 202 PM MDT Wed May 1 2024
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND
THE UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING...
Critical fire weather conditions have developed over eastern NM this
afternoon and will continue through early this evening. A backdoor
cold front sliding south down the plains will provide much higher
humidity overnight. This airmass will slosh around over eastern NM
thru Friday followed by a stronger backdoor cold front for Saturday.
Periods of low clouds, patchy fog, and some showers and storms are
expected to impact eastern NM thru Sunday. Meanwhile, central and
western NM will remain very dry and breezy with marginal critical
fire weather thru the weekend.
A potentially significant fire growing pattern may develop Sunday
through Tuesday with widespread strong winds, very low humidity,
warm temperatures and unstable conditions.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Farmington...................... 39 70 38 75 / 0 0 0 0
Dulce........................... 32 68 29 72 / 0 0 0 0
Cuba............................ 35 66 36 71 / 0 0 0 0
Gallup.......................... 33 71 34 73 / 0 0 0 0
El Morro........................ 38 67 36 69 / 0 0 0 0
Grants.......................... 33 72 34 75 / 0 0 0 0
Quemado......................... 38 69 37 72 / 0 0 0 0
Magdalena....................... 46 73 45 75 / 0 0 0 0
Datil........................... 41 69 40 71 / 0 0 0 0
Reserve......................... 33 76 34 78 / 0 0 0 0
Glenwood........................ 47 79 48 81 / 0 0 0 0
Chama........................... 31 62 31 66 / 0 0 0 0
Los Alamos...................... 48 68 43 70 / 0 0 0 0
Pecos........................... 40 69 40 70 / 0 0 0 5
Cerro/Questa.................... 37 63 40 65 / 0 0 0 5
Red River....................... 30 60 30 62 / 0 0 0 10
Angel Fire...................... 26 61 24 63 / 0 0 0 10
Taos............................ 32 69 32 72 / 0 0 0 0
Mora............................ 38 69 35 69 / 0 0 0 10
Espanola........................ 42 76 39 78 / 0 0 0 0
Santa Fe........................ 46 71 44 73 / 0 0 0 5
Santa Fe Airport................ 42 74 41 75 / 0 0 0 0
Albuquerque Foothills........... 52 76 49 78 / 0 0 0 0
Albuquerque Heights............. 50 78 46 80 / 0 0 0 0
Albuquerque Valley.............. 48 80 46 83 / 0 0 0 0
Albuquerque West Mesa........... 48 77 48 80 / 0 0 0 0
Belen........................... 45 80 44 83 / 0 0 0 0
Bernalillo...................... 49 78 46 81 / 0 0 0 0
Bosque Farms.................... 43 79 44 82 / 0 0 0 0
Corrales........................ 45 79 46 82 / 0 0 0 0
Los Lunas....................... 42 79 44 82 / 0 0 0 0
Placitas........................ 51 73 46 76 / 0 0 0 0
Rio Rancho...................... 47 77 47 80 / 0 0 0 0
Socorro......................... 50 82 50 85 / 0 0 0 0
Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 47 68 45 70 / 0 0 0 0
Tijeras......................... 48 72 43 74 / 0 0 0 0
Edgewood........................ 46 73 39 75 / 0 0 0 0
Moriarty/Estancia............... 36 74 36 76 / 0 0 0 0
Clines Corners.................. 41 70 37 71 / 0 0 0 0
Mountainair..................... 46 72 39 74 / 0 0 0 0
Gran Quivira.................... 42 72 40 75 / 0 0 0 0
Carrizozo....................... 51 77 49 79 / 0 0 0 0
Ruidoso......................... 47 71 46 73 / 0 0 0 0
Capulin......................... 40 67 36 67 / 0 20 10 20
Raton........................... 41 73 35 72 / 0 5 5 10
Springer........................ 41 73 36 72 / 0 5 5 10
Las Vegas....................... 41 71 38 72 / 0 0 0 5
Clayton......................... 45 70 42 69 / 0 20 20 20
Roy............................. 44 72 42 70 / 0 10 10 10
Conchas......................... 47 80 45 78 / 0 0 10 10
Santa Rosa...................... 47 77 42 75 / 0 0 5 5
Tucumcari....................... 48 77 45 77 / 0 0 10 10
Clovis.......................... 52 80 49 78 / 0 0 5 10
Portales........................ 50 83 49 83 / 0 0 5 10
Fort Sumner..................... 48 81 46 81 / 0 0 5 10
Roswell......................... 55 88 53 88 / 0 0 0 0
Picacho......................... 51 81 48 83 / 0 0 0 0
Elk............................. 49 81 47 82 / 0 0 0 0
&&
.ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ104-121-123-
125-126.
&&
SHORT TERM...42
LONG TERM....24
AVIATION...42
High Wind, Union County
- When
- May 1, 2:48 PM MST to 2:50 PM MST
- Where
- Union County forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 36.482, -103.471 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A brief high wind gust of 59 mph was observed at the Clayton Municipal Airport.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 1 to 3, 20244 injured · EF3 · 59 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 1 to 5, 20241 death · $7,000 · 1.5 in hail · 22 events
- High Surf in California, May 1, 20241 death · 1 event
- Flooding in Texas, May 1 to 18, 2024$17 million · 6 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 1, 2024$210,000 · EF1 · 20 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 1, 2024$150,000 · 4.5 in hail · 29 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 1 to 3, 2024$230,000 · 1.25 in hail · 15 events
- Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 1 to 2, 2024$176,000 · 72 kt wind · 8 events
- Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 1 to 2, 2024$150,000 · 63 kt wind · 5 events
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 1, 20243.2 in hail · 25 events
- Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, May 1, 2024$15,000 · 1.25 in hail · 14 events
- Drought in New Mexico, May 1 to 31, 202419 events
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: 1165760.