Heavy Snow — Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass, New Mexico

2023-12-14 · Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass, New Mexico

Event narrative

Two CoCoRaHS Stations near I-25 from Rowe to Glorieta measured 12.6 and 13 inches of snow. The NM Department of Transportation reported severe driving conditions along I-25 between mile markers 282 and 299 east of Santa Fe and through the Glorieta Pass.

Wider weather episode

A significant surge of low level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streamed into eastern and central NM on December 13th ahead of an approaching upper level storm system from the Pacific Northwest. Fog, freezing fog, and snow spread over portions of the highlands adjacent to the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia/Manzano Mountains. Snow packed and icy roads developed along the East Slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains forecast zone, causing travel impacts and a jackknifed semi truck near Mora on December 13th. Snow expanded across the northern mountains as the upper low crossed over AZ and into western NM during the night of the 13th into the morning of the 14th. This continued through the day of December 14th with significant snow accumulations of 10 to 21 inches atop the peaks of the northern mountains of NM. Snow reached down the mid elevations, including Santa Fe through Glorieta Pass and down through the East Mountain Communities during the morning of the 14th. Snow packed and icy roads causing travel impacts resulting in severe winter driving conditions were reported in these areas from Santa Fe to Glorieta to Edgewood and Moriarty and to Clines Corners by the NM Department of Transportation. The rain to snow transition zone stretched northeastward along a line from near Clines Corners to Clayton during December 14th. Conditions steadily improved west to east across the state during the afternoon of December 14th with the storm moving into TX by the evening hours.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1144465. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.