Heavy Snow — Chuska Mountains, New Mexico

2019-03-12 to 2019-03-13 · Chuska Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

The Navajo Whiskey SNOTEL reported 16 inches of snow with rates near one inch per hour for several hours. Severe travel conditions were reported along NM-134.

Wider weather episode

A record breaking late winter storm system moved through New Mexico on March 12-14, 2019. A deep tap of subtropical moisture surged north into the state ahead of this system on March 12th as a surface low deepened over northeastern New Mexico. Widespread showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall moved through the entire area on the 12th while heavy snow fell in the mountains above 9,000 feet. Abundant moisture and instability in place over eastern New Mexico led to the development of a large line of showers and thunderstorms with hail, damaging winds, and even a damaging EF-2 tornado in Chaves County. This was the first March tornado documented in Chaves County since 1959, and the earliest known EF-1 of stronger tornado in the state of New Mexico. Six people were injured and dozens of homes and structures were damaged or destroyed. A powerful Pacific cold front then blasted through the state on March 13th as bombogenesis took place along the Front Range of Rockies. Surface low pressure deepened over 24 millibars in 24 hours to record low values for a few sites within New Mexico and Kansas. The combination of a very intense surface pressure gradient and powerful jet stream winds aloft forced widespread strong to damaging winds across much of New Mexico. Peak wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph were common across eastern New Mexico, with sustained wind speeds between 40 and 60 mph for several hours. A large cargo train was blown off a bridge near Logan, completely destroying all 26 cars. Several high profile vehicles were also overturned on Interstate 25, Interstate 40, and U.S. Highway 285. Trees, power lines, and roofs were damaged in many other areas of the state. Snow continued to pile up in the higher terrain through the night of the 13th where storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 20 to 40 inches.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 802081. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.