Heavy Snow — Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

2023-11-24 to 2023-11-25 · Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

The Vacas Locas SNOTEL measured 11 inches of snow. Other snow amounts ranged from 3 to 7 inches, with 5 to 7 in Los Alamos.

Wider weather episode

An upper level storm system passing over northern NM, in conjunction with a preceding cold front pushing south and westward through eastern NM produced moderate to heavy snow accumulations across central and northern NM during the night of November 24th into the morning of November 25th. The heaviest snow accumulations of 5 to 11 inches focused over the northern mountain areas, with accumulations of 3 to 5 inches at lower elevations in Rio Rancho, the East Mountain Communities, Santa Fe and Taos. A few lower elevation localities received 5 to 8 inches, including Dulce, Cuba, and Abiquiu. Difficult to locally severe driving conditions were also reported, highlighted by two rollover crashes along I-40 within the Tijeras Canyon to Sedillo Hill stretch just east of Albuquerque. Snow cleared out of the area by the late morning of November 25th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1141832. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.