Heavy Snow — San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

2017-01-20 to 2017-01-21 · San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Various sources across Rio Arriba County reported between 10 and 16 inches of snow. The heaviest amounts occurred from Chama into the higher terrain around Hopewell Lake.

Wider weather episode

Another slow-moving upper level low pressure system shifted east across New Mexico with abundant moisture and strong winds. Temperatures with this system were colder than the previous system so snow levels were lower and a much larger area of western New Mexico was impacted. Snowfall amounts average 10 to 15 inches in the high terrain of northern and western New Mexico. Lower terrain areas like Reserve, Gallup, Farmington, and Santa Fe even saw snowfall amounts ranging from 2 to 8 inches. Difficult to severe travel impacts were mainly confined to the higher terrain.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 666767. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.