Heavy Snow — San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

2019-03-02 to 2019-03-04 · San Juan Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Various sources in the higher terrain of eastern Rio Arriba County reported between 6 and 13 inches of snowfall. Difficult to severe travel conditions were reported.

Wider weather episode

A potent upper level storm system over the eastern Pacific moved slowly east into southern California on March 2, 2019 then across Arizona and New Mexico through March 4, 2019. West to southwest winds increased over central and western New Mexico on the 2nd with widespread wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph. The strongest winds impacted the area around Clines Corners where a brief virga shower and wind gust up to 59 mph was reported. Abundant moisture associated with this system brought rain and high terrain snow to northern and western New Mexico by the late afternoon of March 2nd. Meanwhile, an arctic front shifted southwest into eastern New Mexico during the morning of March 3rd with widespread areas of freezing drizzle and dense freezing fog. Some light snow also fell across the northeast plains from near Raton to Clayton. The arctic front then continued progressing south and west through March 4th until the entire eastern plains were socked in with dense freezing fog and freezing drizzle. Numerous roads were closed from Roswell to Vaughn and Ruidoso due to extremely hazardous travel with black ice. Rain and high terrain snow continued over northern New Mexico through March 4th. Total snowfall accumulations ranged from 6 to 13 inches across many high terrain areas above 8,500 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 799795. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.