Heavy Snow — Westcentral Mountains, New Mexico

2006-12-19 to 2006-12-20 · Westcentral Mountains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Six to ten inches of snow fell in many areas with several reports in northern Catron County of 15 and 18 inches.

Wider weather episode

Heavy snow developed mainly across west central and north central New Mexico with areas of freezing rain across the eastern plains as a closed upper level low moved in from the west and then slowed as it passed over the state. Amounts ranged from 6 to 18 inches across the western mountains, 5 to 10 across many northern lower elevation areas and up to 20 inches at northern ski resorts, and 4 to 9 inches near Albuquerque and in nearby Sandia and Manzano Mountains. East central counties saw freezing rain and ice coating reach 3/8 inch. Travel across the state was heavily impacted with long periods of closure on Interstate 40 both east and west of Albuquerque.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 9669. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.