Winter Storm in Middle Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico

An intense upper level system fed by tropical moisture triggered a late season winter storm that covered the northern half of New Mexico with heavy snow and produced near blizzard conditions across the east central section of the state which suffered from widespread power outages and some heavy losses to sheep and cattle. High winds sweeping east to west over the Sandia mountains caused nearly 3 hours of 60 to 80 mph winds into eastern Albuquerque where damage was limited mainly to signs, wood fences and small trees. Only minor roof damage was reported except for heavier damage at one elementary school. Rain changed to heavy wet snow during the night in the east. By early morning nearly 600 power poles and line sections toppled under the weight of ice buildups or sagging tree limbs. Power outages which in some cases took nearly a week to repair extended from Tucumcari southwest across Guadalupe and De Baca counties. Damage to utilities was estimated at nearly 1.5 million dollars. The snow and cold combined with strong gusts of 35 to 50 mph to produce heavy losses of sheep and some cattle. The three county area of De Baca, Guadalupe and Torrance counties sustained losses over 1 million dollars as several freshly shorn sheep herds were decimated as animals died from exposure in near blizzard conditions. One ranch in eastern Torrance county lost 1300 sheep from a herd of 1700. Sheep losses totalled over 5000 animals. Economic losses of sheep do not include the loss of over 4000 unborn lambs. Cattle losses were much less severe and limited primarily to either young or weak stock. One ranch near Las Vegas lost over 200 stocker animals that had just arrived from south Texas.Snow amounts averaged 10 to 12 inches from Tucumcari east to the Sandia Mountains. Winds created drifts of 6 to 8 feet which paralyzed travel and closed most roads between Tucumcari, Roswell and Albuquerque. Heaviest snow amounts reached 15 to 20 inches in the Sandia mountains northward into the Sangre de Cristo mountains.