An upper level low crossing the western CONUS brought a strong jetstream and Pacific cold front across New Mexico March 3rd. Strong southwesterly winds mixed down to the surface through much of the southeastern half of the state, producing gusts of 45 to 75 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 35 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 low crossing the western CONUS brought a strong jetstream and Pacific cold front across New Mexico March 3rd. Strong southwesterly winds mixed down to the surface through much of the southeastern half of the state, producing gusts of 45 to 75 mph. Blowing dust was lofted up producing low to near zero visibility in parts of Chaves and Lincoln Counties. Two multi-vehicles crashes were reported along U.S. Highway 285, one near Lake Arthur and the other involving two semi-trucks just south of Roswell. Thankfully, no loss of life was reported. Strong northerly to northwesterly winds wrapped around the backside of the upper low as it exited east of NM during the night of March 3rd through the 4th. Winter weather in the form of blowing snow impacted areas from Raton Pass to Union County before high winds filled in across eastern NM. Strong west to northwest winds gusting 60 to 80 mph were observed over areas mainly along and east of the central mountain chain. High wind damage and blowing dust produced more impacts to property and closed area highways, including area highways near and south of Roswell, NM.
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 3, 5:25 AM MST, 4 hours 35 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 525 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 503 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 - Fire Weather: Rapid spread of any fires in central and eastern New Mexico today due to critical to extreme fire weather conditions. Strong winds stick around Tuesday, but a slight increase in moisture will produce only near-critical fire weather conditions across southern areas. - Strong Winds and Blowing Dust: Strong to damaging winds will create areas of blowing dust that may reduce visibility on roadways, including in Roswell on Monday and Tuesday. - Winter Weather: Snow and blowing snow may create difficult travel in far northeastern NM Tuesday morning, with potential for blizzard conditions between Raton Pass and Clayton. Light snow on mountain routes will create minor impacts. - Outlook: Confidence is increasing in another round of strong winds and critical fire weather in central and eastern areas Thursday. A colder and wetter Pacific storm may bring more precipitation late Friday, with snow level lowering. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 330 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 A Pacific storm system will bring strong to potentially damaging winds to eastern and portions of central NM today, along with areas of blowing dust. Strong winds will continue overnight and Tuesday, especially across eastern NM. A round of snow will combine with the strong winds to produce blizzard conditions across far northeast NM Tuesday morning. Expect a break on Wednesday, followed by more strong to potentially damaging winds and blowing dust on Thursday when another Pacific storm system approaches. This system will bring snow to the northern and western mountains, followed by another round that may focus further south across the area Friday night. More tranquil and warmer conditions are forecast by Sunday, with much less wind. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Tuesday) Issued at 330 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 A strong upper level low pressure system will cross the central Rockies today and tonight, then deepen quickly while exiting slowly eastward over the Great Plains on Tuesday. The storm system will draw a strong southwest-to-northeast oriented jetstreak over southern and eastern parts of the forecast area today, then a strong northwest-to-southeast oriented jetstreak over the forecast area on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a very strong surface low will bottom out around 986 mb over eastern CO today and tonight, then track southeastward over OK on Tuesday. Together, these features will result in very strong winds today, through tonight, and much of Tuesday. With this forecast package, we are buffeting the ongoing Wind Advisory and High Wind Warning with additional Wind Advisories over central and southwest parts of the forecast area. A zone to keep an eye on today is Gallup, since guidance suggests gusts up to 50 mph are possible there around midday, but a thick mid cloud deck is forecast to arrive as well...likely preventing enough atmospheric mixing for winds to get that strong. Winds will probably weaken some with sunset this evening as the southwesterly jetstreak begins to shift east of the state, but they will strengthen again around midnight as the upper low deepens intensely and rapidly once it gets east of the CO Rockies strengthening northwest flow aloft over NM. With this forecast package we are bumping up the start time of tonight's High Wind Watch over portions of eastern NM, and expanding it to a few more zones. Besides the wind there will be precipitation. Rain showers, snow showers, and a few thunderstorms are forecast over the northwest third of the forecast today. Precip will then spread to include central and northeast parts of the forecast area tonight, then be relegated to northeast and far east central areas on Tuesday. The northern and west central mountains have the potential to accumulate a few to around 8 inches of snow mainly above 7500 feet tonight. With this forecast package we will defer to the day shift to issue any Winter Weather Advisories for the northern and west central mountains. However, we will issue a Blizzard Watch for Raton pass and Union County for late tonight and Tuesday, since wind gusts are likely to reach 70 mph there with a few inches of snow that will produce whiteout conditions for much of the time from 3 AM until noon. Most of this snow looks to accumulate between Raton and Clayton, and especially around Capulin. High temperatures will plummet below 30-year averages over central and western areas today with the clouds and precip, and the arrival of a Pacific cold front. Then, they will plummet below 30 year averages over eastern areas as well on Tuesday after the arrival of a gusty backdoor cold front Monday night. && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday night through Sunday) Issued at 330 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 Strong winds will continue across eastern NM into the early evening on Tuesday, but then quickly diminish as the upper low accelerates east and away from the area. An upper level ridge will transition east across the region Wednesday, bringing the one nice day of the work week with much less wind and temperatures within several degrees of average. Another potent upper level trough/low will hit the west coast late Wednesday, then move east across the Great Basin and Desert SW Wednesday night. A 150kt jet at 300mb will transition east ahead of the trough and across NM on Thursday, combining with a deepening lee side surface trough down to 988mb to bring another round of strong to damaging winds and areas of blowing dust. The initial upper low is forecast to lift northeast into the central Rockies Thursday as another upper low associated with a jet maxima dives south along the west coast. All the while, Pacific moisture will be over the region and both forcing from the parent trough and orographic forcing from strong westerly winds will bring much-needed snow to the western and northern mountains with a mix of rain/snow at the lowest elevations. The 2nd upper low will take a more southerly track and move across southern NM late Friday into early Saturday morning, bringing some much-needed snow to the southern mountains. Friday won't be nearly as windy as Thursday due to the track and timing of the 2nd upper low. If the track of the 2nd upper low is as advertised by the 00Z operational runs of the ECMWF and GFS, which are in good agreement, don't be surprised if it brings some snow to the Albuquerque Metro Friday night. An upper level ridge will amplify across the Intermountain West on Saturday and begin to move east toward the Rockies, bringing improving conditions to NM. By Sunday, the ridge will be oriented over NM and temperatures will rise above normal areawide with fairly light winds and plenty of sunshine. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 503 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 Damaging southwest winds are forecast over much of the area east of the central mountain chain today with widespread blowing dust producing MVFR and IFR conditions in low visibility and a low ceiling. Wind gusts up to 50 mph are forecast over the central valleys where blowing dust will still be significant in dust-prone locations because of drought conditions. Clouds and precip should decrease wind speeds some west of the continental divide today, but gusts could briefly exceed 40 KT in Gallup around mid day just before the precip moves in. Rain and snow showers, with isolated thunderstorms, will favor north central and western areas this afternoon. Tonight, rain and snow showers will spread over western, northern and central areas. A few to 8 inches of snow are forecast tonight in the northern and west central mountains mainly above 7500 feet. Blizzard conditions are forecast late tonight through much of Tuesday morning between Raton and Clayton. Extreme fire weather conditions are forecast over southern and eastern areas today. If you see any wildfires, please report them before they get too out of hand. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 330 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM TODAY FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN NM... A fire growing pattern will develop today and continue Tuesday. A strong upper level low pressure system crossing the central Rockies will steer a strong southwesterly speed maximum in the polar jet over southern and eastern areas today, then a strong northwesterly speed max over the forecast area tonight and Tuesday. Wind gusts around 65 or 70 mph are forecast east of the central mountain chain today with gusts from 35-50 mph further west. After southwest winds briefly weaken with sunset, northwest winds will become very strong again around midnight tonight and continue through Tuesday. Northwest wind gusts from 40-65 mph look common on Tuesday in the wake of the exiting system, except potentially over 70 mph over northeast areas. Humidities will drop near and below 15 percent across south central and eastern parts of the forecast area today, where Red Flag Warnings remain in effect. Humidities will be higher on Tuesday as temperatures fall below average, so we aren't planning any fire weather highlights Tuesday unless there are active fires after today. Rain and snow showers are forecast over western and northern areas tonight through Tuesday. Snow accumulation of a few to several inches is forecast mainly in the northern and west central mountains mostly tonight. A few inches of snow are also forecast over far northeast areas late tonight and Tuesday, where blizzard conditions are likely. A ridge of high pressure will pass eastward over the forecast area with lighter winds Wednesday, then a broad upper level low pressure system crossing the central Rockies will bring another round of wind and fire weather concerns Thursday and to a lesser extent Friday. The potential exists for widespread wetting precip on Saturday as an upper level low pressure system crosses from the west with a tap of subtropical moisture. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 47 29 54 25 / 70 50 0 0 Dulce........................... 45 19 51 17 / 60 50 5 0 Cuba............................ 45 24 46 20 / 40 70 5 0 Gallup.......................... 43 22 52 14 / 50 80 0 0 El Morro........................ 39 23 46 23 / 40 80 0 0 Grants.......................... 45 24 52 16 / 20 60 0 0 Quemado......................... 43 24 48 22 / 20 40 5 0 Magdalena....................... 49 29 51 29 / 0 20 0 0 Datil........................... 43 25 47 24 / 5 20 0 0 Reserve......................... 47 21 58 17 / 20 30 5 0 Glenwood........................ 51 24 61 23 / 20 20 0 0 Chama........................... 39 17 44 16 / 70 50 10 0 Los Alamos...................... 50 27 49 29 / 20 60 10 0 Pecos........................... 53 27 49 24 / 5 30 10 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 46 21 45 22 / 30 50 10 5 Red River....................... 39 17 39 18 / 30 60 20 5 Angel Fire...................... 43 20 41 17 / 30 50 20 0 Taos............................ 49 22 49 17 / 20 50 10 0 Mora............................ 52 24 46 19 / 10 30 10 0 Espanola........................ 56 28 56 24 / 10 50 5 0 Santa Fe........................ 51 27 51 28 / 10 50 10 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 54 28 54 25 / 10 40 10 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 55 30 56 36 / 5 30 5 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 55 32 58 32 / 0 20 5 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 56 32 59 29 / 0 20 5 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 54 32 57 30 / 0 30 5 0 Belen........................... 58 31 61 25 / 0 20 5 0 Bernalillo...................... 56 32 58 29 / 5 30 5 0 Bosque Farms.................... 56 31 60 25 / 0 20 5 0 Corrales........................ 56 32 58 29 / 0 30 5 0 Los Lunas....................... 56 31 60 24 / 0 20 5 0 Placitas........................ 54 30 55 32 / 5 30 5 0 Rio Rancho...................... 55 31 57 31 / 5 30 5 0 Socorro......................... 60 35 62 32 / 0 5 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 52 27 49 30 / 5 30 5 0 Tijeras......................... 55 29 54 31 / 5 30 5 0 Edgewood........................ 58 28 53 29 / 0 20 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 58 26 54 21 / 0 20 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 53 26 48 23 / 0 20 0 0 Mountainair..................... 56 27 53 27 / 0 10 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 55 28 52 25 / 0 5 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 57 30 56 32 / 0 5 5 0 Ruidoso......................... 52 27 48 30 / 0 5 0 0 Capulin......................... 56 26 39 17 / 0 70 60 0 Raton........................... 59 27 48 17 / 0 50 30 5 Springer........................ 61 29 52 18 / 0 30 20 0 Las Vegas....................... 56 29 52 20 / 0 20 5 0 Clayton......................... 68 29 46 23 / 0 50 50 0 Roy............................. 62 30 52 22 / 0 20 10 0 Conchas......................... 70 36 62 26 / 0 10 10 0 Santa Rosa...................... 64 35 58 26 / 0 5 5 0 Tucumcari....................... 72 37 61 25 / 0 10 20 0 Clovis.......................... 73 33 60 28 / 0 0 20 0 Portales........................ 74 33 61 27 / 0 0 10 0 Fort Sumner..................... 71 36 62 26 / 0 0 5 0 Roswell......................... 76 38 69 33 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 66 33 59 30 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 64 29 56 30 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 10 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening for NMZ223>240. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-106-109-123>126. Winter Storm Watch from late tonight through Tuesday afternoon for NMZ227-230. High Wind Watch from late tonight through Tuesday afternoon for NMZ228-231-234>236-238. Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening for NMZ212-214-215-218>222-241. High Wind Watch from this evening through Tuesday afternoon for NMZ223-224-226-233-237-239-240. && SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....11 AVIATION...44
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
911 AM MST Mon Mar 3 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0855 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 S Fort Stanton 33.47N 105.52W
03/03/2025 M59 MPH Lincoln NM AWOS
AWOS station KSRR Sierra Blanca Rgnl Arpt.
&&
ANMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
30 high wind, 2 dust storm, 2 winter storm, 1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The southeast Vaughn ziamet station measured a high sustained wind speed of 56 mph, as well as a gust of over 67 mph surpassing the higher limit of the anonemeter's measuring limit.
The Little Burro White Sands Missile Range mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 73 mph. Peak gusts of 58 to 69 mph were measured by other White Sands Missile Range mesonet stations in the zone.
The Estancia FW3653 CWOP mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Mine White Sands Missile Range mesonet station measured a peak gust of 68 mph. Several other WSMR mesonet stations measured peak gusts of 59 to 62 mph.
The Clines Corners ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph. High sustained winds of 48 mph were also observed.
The Las Vegas Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Pole White Sands Missile Range mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph. Peak gusts of 60 were measured by other White Sands Missile Range mesonet stations in the zone.
The Roswell Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 75 mph. Severe blowing dust produced brownout conditions across the county as well.
The Albuquerque Sunport measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph. Blowing dust reducing visibility to 2 statute miles was also observed.
The Raton Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
The Nogal mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph. Peak gusts of 60 to 62 were measured by Carrizozo mesonet and Sierra Blanca Airport AWOS stations.
The East Fort Sumner mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
The Hartley Ranch public wundermap station measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph.
High winds gusting 60 to 70 mph produced brownout and zero visibility conditions along a large swath of Chaves County, including areas along U.S. Highway 285 from north of Roswell southward into Eddy County. Emergency management reported a 21 car pileup along U.S. Highway 285 at mile marker 98 between Midway and Dexter, involving two semi-trucks and 7 injuries that had to be ambulanced to local hospitals. Local law enforcement closed area highways as a result of the brownout conditions. Visibility under one-quarter statute mile was reported throughout Roswell itself by multiple trained storm spotters. Damage is an estimate.
The Roswell Portable 2 RAWS station measured a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
The Edgewood SWCD mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 61 mph.
The Tucumcari Airport ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 70 mph, as well as a high sustained wind speed of 52 mph. Peak wind gusts of 60 and 61 mph were measured by mesonet stations elsewhere in the zone.
The Portales City Emergency Manager confirmed satellite and radar imagery of a wildfire roughly 6 miles west of Milnesand. This fire quickly grew to an estimated 4,000 to 4,500 acres, proppelled by high winds gusting to 60 mph. One structure was destroyed with one evacuation taking place. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.
A NMDOT weather station along I-25 at Rowe, NM measured a peak gust of 64 mph.
The Clayton Airport ASOS station measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph. Peak gusts of 60 to 65 mph were measured elsewhere in the zone.
The Cannon AFB ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph. Peak gusts of 58 and 60 mph were measured at mesonet stations elsewhere in the county.
The Melrose Gunnery AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The NMDOT closed U.S. Highway 64/87 between Clayton and Raton due to severe winter travel conditions from blowing snow. A CoCoRaHS observer reported 3.5 inches of snow.
The NMDOT closed U.S. Highway 64/87 between Clayton and Raton due to severe winter travel conditions from blowing snow.
A public weather station at Hartley Ranch measured a peak gust of 64 mph.
The East Fort Sumner mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
The southeast Vaughn mesonet station measured a peak gust surpassing its wind speed threshold of 67 mph. Another mesonet station near Vaughn measured a 59 mph wind gust.
The Nogal mesonet measured a peak gust of 64 mph. A peak gust of 60 mph was also measured at the Sierra Blanca Airport.
The Socorro Airport AWOS measured a peak gust of 59 mph.
The Clayton Airport ASOS measured a peak gust of 82 mph. These high winds toppled a tree, a gas station pump, and ripped part of a metal roof off a building. The Clayton Airport ASOS also measured a high sustained wind speed of 59 mph.
The East Fort Sumner mesonet station measured a peak wind gust of 64 mph.
The Raton Airport ASOS measured a peak gust of 61 mph.
High wind gusts of up to 61 mph observed across the area lofted blowing dust producing brownout and near zero visibility conditions. The NMDOT and local law enforcement closed portions of U.S. Highway 285 between Roswell and the Eddy County line, as well as the Roswell Relief Route southwest of town. Thankfully, there were no reports of car accidents.
The GW0819 mesonet station near Clovis measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
The Little Burro White Sands Missile Range mesonet measured a peak gust of 60 mph.
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, March 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: 1231107, 1231089, 1231087, 1231085, 1231088, 1231103, 1231099, 1231113, 1231084, 1231102, 1231101, 1231112, 1231106, 1231067, 1231114, 1231086, 1231108, 1231081, 1231082, 1231104, 1231109, 1231110, 1231768, 1231769, 1231770, 1231772, 1231773, 1231774, 1231775, 1231776, 1231778, 1231779, 1231782, 1231780, 1231781.