An upper level trough over the Great Basin deepened into an upper low as it moved east across the central and southern Rockies during the day Saturday, January 5th. Strong mid and upper level winds south of the eventual low moved over New Mexico at this time.
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.
An upper level trough over the Great Basin deepened into an upper low as it moved east across the central and southern Rockies during the day Saturday, January 5th. Strong mid and upper level winds south of the eventual low moved over New Mexico at this time. Record warm temperatures and mixing heights for early January allowed these higher winds aloft to efficiently mix down to the surface. This resulted in several high wind gusts at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport north of Ruidoso. A few more high wind gusts were observed at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, a mesonet station near Nogal and Clines Corners during the evening hours as the Pacific front pushed east across the state. Winds gradually tapered off Saturday night into early Sunday morning as the system exited into the central Great Plains. Finally, light snow accumulations under an inch and ice accretion from freezing fog on the backside of the upper low resulted in the closure of U.S. Highway 64/87 from Raton to Clayton in far northeast NM during the morning hours of Sunday, December 5th.
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 Jan 4, 10:23 AM MST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1023 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 927 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 - Record high temperatures forecast across central and western NM Saturday. - Strong westerly winds with gusts between 40 and 55 mph are expected on Saturday. Critical fire weather conditions likely across much of west central and eastern NM due to the combination of strong winds and low humidity. - Widespread light snowfall possible beginning late Tuesday continuing through Thursday, though uncertainty remains in coverage and amounts. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 336 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 A critical fire weather threat for much of New Mexico on Saturday with warm, dry, and windy conditions during the afternoon hours. Strong crosswinds along N-S roadways can lead to hazardous driving conditions as well as some blowing dust for areas along central and eastern NM. Temperatures cool as a backdoor front sweeps through eastern New Mexico on Sunday night. A winter system looks to bring much colder temperatures and light snowfall through Thursday. High temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below average for this time of year on Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures struggling to reach above freezing for most areas on Wednesday. Some slick travel conditions are to be expected, particularly for the northern mountains where larger snowfall accumulations are more likely. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Sunday) Issued at 336 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 As an unseasonably strong ridge of high pressure exits the region to the east, and an upper level low pressure system crossing the central Rockies steers the jetstream over NM, high temperatures will soar as much as 20 degrees above 1991-2020 averages again today. New record high temperatures are again likely. An exception will be west of the continental divide, where a Pacific cold front will arrive holding high temperatures around 5-10 degrees above 30 year averages. The flow at 700 mb is generally forecast to reach around 40-55 KT this afternoon with the strongest winds along the central mountain chain, and especially over the south central mountains. With this forecast package we expanded the ongoing Wind Advisory some over western and central areas. Very low humidities will also result in critical fire weather conditions below snowpack across much of the southern and eastern halves of the forecast area today. This evening winds aloft will strengthen a bit further, while the Pacific cold front finishes crossing the forecast area from the northwest. This will keep winds going, especially along the east slopes of the central mountain chain and onto the eastern plains. In the wake of the Pacific front, and a gusty backdoor cold front that will dive southward through the eastern plains late tonight and Sunday, high temperatures on Sunday are forecast to fall around 5 to 32 degrees from today's readings. The front will probably produce some light snow from Raton Pass to Clayton tonight, but less than an inch of accumulation is forecast. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday night through Friday) Issued at 336 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 Low temperatures on Monday morning will be 5 to 8 degrees below average for this time of year over much of eastern New Mexico, as a reinforcing backdoor cold front pushes through the eastern plains in the wake of Saturday's upper level trough making its way into Kansas. Continued CAA will keep high temperatures cool for Monday with western and central NM seeing near average temperatures with highs in the mid to upper 40s. Meanwhile, eastern New Mexico will see highs in the lower 40s, about 10 degrees below normal for this time of year. The focus then turns to an approaching winter system on Tuesday that looks to bring much colder temperatures and increased chances of precipitation throughout much of New Mexico. The polar jet takes a deep dive into the Desert Southwest and brings in one of the coldest airmasses so far this season. As a amplified ridging build over the Pacific Northwest, an inverted upper level trough will deepen over the Sonoran Desert. Cluster analysis indicates that there is pretty good agreement among ensembles members for this trough to eventually close off near Baja California which keeps cooler temperatures and chances of snowfall through late Thursday. With this system there high confidence for colder temperatures with much of the state seeing highs well below average through Friday as mid level temperatures over much of the state will be up to 10 degrees below freezing and CAA reinforcing the cooler airmass. However, there is currently less confidence for the amount snowfall expected with this system. The deterministic ECMWF and Canadian Models bring in more moisture over the eastern part of the state for the Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning period, as a result bumped up Pops during this time period for the eastern plains. For the most part, this system looks to lack sufficient moisture and a result snowfall totals look to remain light. snowfall trend south throughout the Thursday through Friday period as the system starts to move east. Drier conditions are expected for next weekend and winds look to pick up over the central mountain chain and central highlands as westerly flow returns. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 927 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist through the period at all TAF sites, but LIFR conditions are likely across far northeast NM through mid day and then again late tonight behind a backdoor cold front. Strong westerly winds will develop this afternoon and then turn northwest this evening behind a cold front sweeping east across the region. An Airport Weather Warning has been issued for KABQ later this afternoon/evening due to gusts between 35-40kts expected. Winds will trend down overnight and be much less Sunday morning. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 336 AM MST Sat Jan 4 2025 Record and near record high temperatures will return today east of the continental divide, and winds will become strong as an upper level low pressure system crossing the central Rockies steers a strong jetstream over NM. Wind gusts in the 30-50 mph range are forecast today with widespread critical fire weather conditions over the southern and eastern halves of the fire weather forecast area where humidities will plummet near and below 15 percent. Wind speeds aloft will strengthen along and east of the central mountain chain this evening causing strong winds to persist, but humidities should increase enough for critical fire weather conditions to wane by around one hour after sunset. Cooler temperatures are then forecast during the first half of the coming week. Models are agreeing better now on an upper level trough digging southward over the western US and forming a closed upper level low pressure system over the S CA/upper Baja Peninsula coast, or possibly as far east as AZ, by late Tuesday. This storm system will draw a moist backdoor cold front through NM Tuesday and Tuesday night with a chance for light snow over much of the forecast area late Tuesday through midday Wednesday. The best chance for any accumulation looks to be over the northern mountains. The potential also exists for a gusty east wind below canyons opening into the central valley Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Light precipitation chances then look to continue over the southern fringe of the fire weather forecast area Wednesday through Thursday night as the upper low slowly tracks eastward across northern Mexico. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 51 20 45 17 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 51 6 44 7 / 10 5 0 0 Cuba............................ 53 16 42 15 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 52 10 47 9 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 52 18 44 15 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 57 13 47 10 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 58 15 44 16 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 60 25 48 24 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 56 21 45 20 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 62 11 55 14 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 64 26 58 28 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 46 7 39 9 / 10 5 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 51 22 41 21 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 54 22 45 19 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 49 15 39 14 / 0 10 0 0 Red River....................... 41 12 30 9 / 0 10 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 47 9 35 0 / 0 10 0 0 Taos............................ 52 10 41 7 / 0 5 0 0 Mora............................ 56 18 43 14 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 59 18 48 15 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 53 23 42 20 / 0 5 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 56 20 45 17 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 61 29 48 26 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 63 27 50 24 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 66 24 53 17 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 63 27 51 24 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 67 21 53 19 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 64 25 52 21 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 66 20 52 18 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 64 26 52 22 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 67 22 52 20 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 59 27 47 24 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 63 27 51 23 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 70 27 57 23 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 55 24 43 21 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 57 26 44 23 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 59 23 45 18 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 62 20 47 14 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 57 19 41 16 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 60 24 45 20 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 60 22 45 19 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 63 25 49 24 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 58 27 45 24 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 57 14 28 13 / 0 10 0 0 Raton........................... 59 17 40 11 / 0 10 0 0 Springer........................ 62 20 41 11 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 59 21 42 14 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 63 19 31 16 / 0 20 0 0 Roy............................. 63 22 41 15 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 71 27 47 17 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 68 28 46 18 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 70 26 41 15 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 69 29 41 18 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 69 28 44 17 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 66 28 47 16 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 75 34 56 24 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 71 32 56 22 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 70 30 56 22 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ104>106-109- 123>126. Wind Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ202-205-206. Wind Advisory until 2 AM MST Sunday for NMZ215-223-226-229-233- 239-240. Wind Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for NMZ213-214-221- 224. && SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....25 AVIATION...11
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Peak wind gusts of 67 mph were observed at the Nogal Mesonet during the evening. Additionally, several high wind gusts peaking at 62 mph were observed at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport during the afternoon and evening.
A brief high wind gust of 58 mph was observed at Clines Corners.
U.S. Highway 64/87 running through the zone was closed due to light snow and ice accumulation on the highway according the NMDOT.
U.S. Highway 64/87 from Des Moines to Clayton was closed due to light snow and ice accumulation on the highway according to the NMDOT.
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: 1222046, 1222047, 1222048, 1222049.