Winter Weather — West Central Plateau, New Mexico

2010-03-14 · West Central Plateau, New Mexico

Event narrative

Approximately 1 to 3 inches of snow created slick and hazardous roadways across the West Central Plateau. A man, age 60, was killed after losing control of his SUV on Interstate 40 near Gallup around 645 am MST. His wife and grandchildren were also in the vehicle, but survived with only minor injuries. Almost 30 crashes were reported, though no others resulted in injuries.

Wider weather episode

A strong closed upper low pressure system slid south across western New Mexico while dragging a strong back door cold front across the eastern plains. The northern mountains as well as the east slopes of the central mountain chain were hit the hardest - with some locations receiving up to a foot of snow. The snow was responsible for several road closures, including portions of Interstate 25 and Interstate 40. State Highway 475, also known as Hyde Park Road, was closed by State Police which stranded travelers returning from a day of skiing at Santa Fe Ski Area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 211312. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.