High Wind in South Central Mountains, New Mexico

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.

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.