Heavy Snow — San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

2019-02-21 to 2019-02-23 · San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Various sources across Rio Arriba County reported between 2 and 12 inches of snow. The heaviest snow fell in the Chama area. Difficult travel was reported.

Wider weather episode

A slow-moving winter storm that pummeled Arizona with record heavy snowfall on February 21, 2019 shifted east into New Mexico on the 22nd and 23rd. A large band of snow and associated Pacific cold front moved into the Gallup and Farmington areas late on the 21st before drifting east across the Continental Divide and into the Rio Grande Valley through the 22nd. Gallup picked up 10 to 15 inches of snowfall in less than 12 hours with blowing snow and low visibility. Interstate 40 was closed for several hours due to very dangerous travel conditions and several accidents. Snow and wind then slammed the Rio Grande Valley by the evening of the 22nd with widespread reports of two to six inches of heavy wet snow from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Snow continued to pummel the northern mountains through the early morning hours of the 23rd, leaving behind a whopping 18 to 24 inches of fresh snow. Several locations across northern and central New Mexico established new daily snowfall records. The storm system then exited into the eastern plains where snow, blowing snow, low visibility, and icy roadways resulted in the closure of U.S. 64 from Clayton to Raton and Interstate 25 within Raton Pass. Strong winds in the wake of this system produced wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph across the eastern plains along with areas of blowing dust.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 798290. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.