Heavy Snow — Santa Fe Metro Area, New Mexico

2023-11-30 · Santa Fe Metro Area, New Mexico

Event narrative

The New Mexico Department of Transportation reported accidents along I-25 due to heavy snow and black ice. Snow accumulations of 5 to 9.2 inches of snow were reported throughout the town of Santa Fe. This forced I-25 to be closed at mile marker 259 near Santo Domingo.

Wider weather episode

A series of winter storms, each weaker but colder than the one before passed over New Mexico from November 30th to December 2nd. The first system was well defined and passed west to east mainly along I-40 producing several inches up to a foot of snow at elevations above seven thousand feet by the morning of November 30th. The most severe impacts were travel related on the I-40 and I-25 corridors through the East Mountain Communities and Santa Fe. Snow accumulations of 4 to 10 inches in these areas produced car accidents along I-40 near Rancho Verde and shutdown of I-25 from Santa Fe to Glorieta Pass. The second and third storm system were much weaker and only produced additional snowfall at higher elevations with no further impacts being reported on December 1st and 2nd.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1143411. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.