January 2025 was a colder than average month with some beneficial snow across central and southern NM from January 8th and 9th, north central NM during the middle of the month and across most of northern NM on January 29th and 30th. Despite this, snowpack remained well below the 30 year normal across the mountain ranges with some SNOTEL sites showing historically low snow water equivalent values.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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.
January 2025 was a colder than average month with some beneficial snow across central and southern NM from January 8th and 9th, north central NM during the middle of the month and across most of northern NM on January 29th and 30th. Despite this, snowpack remained well below the 30 year normal across the mountain ranges with some SNOTEL sites showing historically low snow water equivalent values. As a result, severe drought conditions across far southeastern areas slightly expanded with areas of severe drought added to northern areas of the northwest plateau, far northwest highlands, Tusa Mountains, much of the southwest mountains, and all of the San Francisco River Valley. An area of extreme drought was added to the southern portion of the San Francisco River Valley, including Glenwood.
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 Dec 31, 10:24 PM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1024 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1018 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 - An area of freezing fog will develop along the Caprock around Clovis and Portales before sunrise on New Year's Day. The fog may be dense at times with visibility less than 1/4 mile. Slick travel may develop on bridges, overpasses, and near culverts. - Lighter winds and cooler temperatures will close out 2024 and ring in 2025, followed by significant warming to close out the work week with high temperatures approaching daily records across western NM Friday and possibly repeating on Saturday. - A disturbance crossing this weekend will bring much colder temperatures, stronger winds, and light snow to parts of northern NM. && .UPDATE... Issued at 810 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 After collaboration with LUB, sending an evening update to add mention of fog/freezing fog tomorrow morning, mainly for Curry and Roosevelt counties. Short- term guidance has become rather insistent on this developing in relatively moist upslope flow toward sunrise. Some uncertainty regarding fog formation with regard to cloud cover (stratus vs. mist/fog) and fact that upstream dewpoints are only in the upper teens to lower 20s F...so confidence only medium. Not expecting dense fog at this point, but will be monitoring trends overnight. Updated products sent. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 1252 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 Continued dry conditions are forecast through the remainder of the week, with cooler temperatures through mid week followed by rapid warming going into Friday. High temperatures will approach daily records across western NM on Friday and may challenge again on Saturday. A disturbance will move east across the region over the weekend, bringing colder temperatures, stronger winds and some light snow to parts of northern NM. Unsettled weather conditions will follow early next week with continued colder temperatures. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 1252 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 Happy New Year! A mostly quiet start to the new year is expected. After a cooler day today, temperatures will fall a little further than last night. When the ball drops at midnight, most areas will be in the teens and 20s, though areas from Socorro to Roswell southward will still be in the 30s. Of course, these temps will continue to slide through sunrise. Otherwise, a dry start to the new year. Toward sunrise, relatively moist, low level easterly flow will allow low clouds to develop across much of northeast NM as well as along the Texas and Oklahoma borders. These low clouds will slowly erode through the early afternoon hours on Wednesday, but will keep temperatures on the cool side in these areas. In fact, much of eastern NM will be a few to as much as 9 degrees below normal Wednesday afternoon. Near to above normal temperatures are expected elsewhere. Weak perturbations in northwest flow will continue to cross NM through Wednesday night and as a result, batches of high cirrus will occasionally cross the state as well. Wednesday night should be a little warmer than tonight areawide as westerly winds increase. In fact, at H7, wind speeds of 50kt are expected along and just east of the Central Mountain Chain. As such, mountain tops will remain breezy to windy overnight. At this time, it seems like any erratic gusts from mountain wave activity will be favored along the immediate east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Monday) Issued at 1252 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 Rising pressure heights associated with an amplifying upper level ridge will be the setup Thu/Fri, bringing warming and well above normal temperatures by Fri with some highs near daily records across western NM. Unusually warm conditions persist into Saturday ahead of an upper level trough/low, modeled to impact CO/NM over the weekend. The 12Z medium range model solutions are showing some spread with regard to the exact timing of the trough/low passage, with the GFS lagging the others. Breezy to windy conditions and colder temperatures are a lock for late Saturday through Sunday, it's the snow across northern NM that is of lower forecast confidence at this time. Highest relative confidence for light snow accumulations Saturday night into Sunday will be over the northern mountains and near Raton Pass, where minor impacts to travel are possible. A pattern change is being advertised thereafter as a high amplitude ridge develops from the Pacific NW into Canada, allowing a cold airmass to slide down the plains and into eastern NM while an upper low closes off somewhere between the Great Basin and Desert SW. The details on the timing and strength of these features are yet to be determined as there is plenty of model spread at the day 7 projection to pump the brakes on forecast confidence. Higher forecast confidence on below normal temperatures early to mid next week given the overall synoptic weather pattern allowing for further southwest penetration of this cold airmass. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1018 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 An area of IFR is likely to develop around Clovis and Portales from freezing fog late tonight and New Year's morning. Vsbys may fall below 1/4 mile at times. A larger area of IFR/low MVFR cigs are also expected to develop over much of northeast and east- central NM before sunrise. Thick mid level clouds also moving in from the west may delay clearing until after noontime for parts of eastern NM. Winds will be light in most areas with VFR across the rest of central and western NM thru New Year's Day. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1252 PM MST Tue Dec 31 2024 Weak perturbations in northwest flow aloft will bring occasional bouts of high clouds through early Thursday. Temperatures will remain on the cooler side Wednesday, especially across eastern NM where low clouds will be slow to erode. A broad upper level ridge will develop over the Desert Southwest Thursday and persist through Friday allowing temperatures to warm back up above early January normals. Record to near record heat will be in store for portions of western NM on Friday. Temperatures start to slide on Saturday as heights lower, but will remain well above normal. Additionally on Saturday, breezy to locally windy conditions are expected areawide as a storm system approaches the state. This system will cross northern NM on Saturday night and Sunday, likely bringing light snow across the northern mountains and potentially northeast NM as well. This system will also drop temperatures on Sunday on the order of 10 to 20 degrees from Saturday's highs. A more unsettled pattern is possible for early next work week. Ventilation values will be fair to good where winds are forecast to be breezy each day, but most lower elevation locales will have poor vent rates each day. The exception to this rule will be on Sunday. Stronger winds on the back side of the system should keep some lower elevation locales in the fair to good category. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 16 44 17 49 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 7 42 10 48 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 15 45 19 50 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 7 52 13 56 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 16 49 23 55 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 10 53 15 57 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 19 54 23 56 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 26 55 31 57 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 21 54 25 56 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 15 61 18 64 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 26 62 29 67 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 8 37 13 44 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 23 43 27 49 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 19 44 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 17 40 21 45 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 9 33 18 38 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 4 37 15 43 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 10 42 14 48 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 14 46 26 51 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 15 48 21 54 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 20 43 27 50 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 18 46 22 52 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 26 49 30 54 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 25 50 28 56 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 22 52 24 58 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 24 51 26 56 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 16 53 19 58 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 22 51 25 57 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 16 52 19 57 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 22 51 24 57 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 17 52 19 57 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 23 48 28 54 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 24 50 27 56 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 26 56 29 60 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 22 46 28 51 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 25 46 29 52 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 21 47 27 53 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 11 51 20 55 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 17 45 25 51 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 21 49 28 54 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 22 50 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 30 56 33 59 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 28 53 35 56 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 13 40 20 45 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 11 40 19 48 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 12 44 19 50 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 15 48 28 53 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 20 39 26 47 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 16 40 24 47 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 21 50 25 54 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 19 52 30 58 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 20 48 27 53 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 22 48 30 57 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 21 49 28 59 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 20 49 24 60 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 27 53 27 65 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 27 55 34 65 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 28 59 34 64 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM....11 AVIATION...42
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions were introduced to the northern portion of the zone.
Severe drought conditions were introduced into the central and southern part of the zone.
Extreme drought conditions were introduced to the southern half portion of the zone.
Severe drought conditions were introduced to the northwest portion of the zone.
Severe drought conditions expanded across the southern portion and into central portions of the zone.
Severe drought conditions persisted across the far southern border of the zone around Lake Arthur.
Severe drought conditions expanded across the southern portion of the zone.
Severe drought conditions persisted across a majority of the zone.
Severe drought conditions were introduced to the far northern portion of the zone.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, January 2025
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: 1225985, 1225988, 1225989, 1225990, 1225991, 1225992, 1225993, 1225994, 1226706.