Winter Storm in Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

The strongest winter storm of this dry season moved slowly across west central and north central New Mexico dumping nearly 2 feet of needed snow over the higher mountain peaks while many lower elevation areas along and west of the Continental Divide received 6 to 12 inches. Heaviest amounts ranged from near 20 inches at Luna in western Catron County to an estimated 32 inches on the peaks and in the passes of the Chuska Mountains northwest of Gallup. Amounts of 8 to 10 inches ranged as far northeast at Dulce and Chama while even Santa Fe reported 6 inches from the storm. Lesser amounts of 2 to 4 inches were common through parts of the central Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque metro area and the nearby Sandia and Manzano Mountains.