High Wind in East Slopes of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

Observer reported high winds almost all day. A large 50 ft pine tree was blown down. A large ash tree also blown down. Several other dead trees also blown down.

A broad upper level trough moved quickly southeastward from the Great Basin into northern New Mexico and delivered a swift punch of high winds. The strongest winds developed over the high terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains during the early morning hours of the 17th then spread eastward into northeastern New Mexico through the afternoon hours. Several locations along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains reported peak wind gusts near 65 mph along with damage to large trees. Strong downslope flow in this pattern generated a handful of record high temperatures across central and eastern New Mexico. The strong winds tapered off over much of the area by the late afternoon hours, however a few areas along the east slopes continued to experience periodic high winds. This storm system ushered in the coldest temperatures of the fall season and finally brought the third latest freeze on record at the Albuquerque Sunport on the 19th.