Heavy Snow — San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

2015-02-26 to 2015-02-28 · San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

COOP, CoCoRaHS, SNOTEL, and public reports averaged between 20 and 43 inches storm total snow during this extended winter storm. The 16 inches reported in Chama on the 28th was a record for the date and the 17 inches on the 1st was also a record for the date. The 33 inches for the 2-day period ending on the 1st was the 7th heaviest snowfall event dating back to 1893. In El Vado, the 12 inches on the 28th and the 10 inches on the 1st were a new records for the date, respectively. The 25 inches from the 27th through the 1st in El Vado set a new record for 3-day accumulations dating back to 1906.

Wider weather episode

This heavy snow event followed quickly on the heels of the initial heavy snow event from the 22nd to the 24th. Several upper level disturbances embedded in a deep fetch of abundant subtropical moisture continued shifting northeastward over New Mexico. This moisture and instability interacted with a record cold airmass entrenched over the state. Numerous locations reported record low maximum temperatures. Snow was measured in feet over the northern high terrain where record-breaking amounts were reported. This was the best period of snow in years for many resort locations across the northern mountains. Snowpack received a huge boost as many SNOTELs overcame huge deficits to end the month near normal to even above normal.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 554378. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.