Winter Storm in Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

A slow-moving winter storm howled into northern and central New Mexico with gusty winds, heavy snow which closed state highways and many rural roads and contributed to two deaths from exposure. Tribal police found one body just north of Gallup and another near Bluewater. Details were not released. The storm produced 18 to 36 inches of heavy snow that engulfed snow removal and closed roads from the eastern Sangre de Cristo Mountains south over Las Vegas into the central highlands to Vaughn and Corona and westward over the Estancia Valley and the east slope communities of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains. Some residents remained trapped in their homes for 4-5 days before enough snow removal opened both the major and minor county roads. A state of emergency was declared in several counties including Mora, San Miguel and Torrance. Travel in rural areas of the central highlands were only aggravated by excess mud as snowmelt continued into early February.