High Wind in West Central Plateau, New Mexico

The KGUP ASOS measured high wind gusts peaking at 70 mph.

The second weather system in a series of storms across the western U.S. moved into the Four Corners area February 18th. This system brought light to moderate snow to the Tusas and northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. However, the more significant hazard to the region was the strong to damaging wind gusts. Daytime mixing allowed stronger winds aloft to mix down to the surface resulting in high wind gusts across the highlands of far west central NM and eventually the central mountain chain and adjacent central highlands. A band of snow accompanying the Pacific cold front moved across western and north central NM during the evening hours of February 18th. Heading into the overnight hours February 18th into February 19th, strong to damaging wind gusts shifted to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and adjacent northeast highlands as the shortwave moved across the southern Rockies. High winds across the eastern highlands tapered off slowly during the late morning hours as the shortwave exited northeast outside of a brief high wind gust east of Puerto de Luna in Guadalupe County.