January 2010 Monthly Highlights - Significant Events

Significant Events

Heavy Snow Over West and Central New Mexico 18th - 19th

The first of three storms in less than a week brought moderate snow and decent rainfall to western and central New Mexico from the 18th through 19th. The water vapor satellite images below show the position of the 1st system - well to our west on the 18th (southern California) and exiting New Mexico on the 19th.

The radar images below show the precipitation on the afternoon of the 18th and early morning of the 19th, favoring western and central sections of the state.

The tables below reveal some of the higher snowfall and rainfall totals from the storm.

Total Snowfall January 18-19 (inches)
Location	Amount
5E El Morro	10.0
2WSW El Morro	9.0
3E Aztec	8.0
Tierra Amarilla	8.0
9NE Aztec	8.0
11S Santa Fe	7.5
10S Santa Fe	7.0
1W Lindrith	7.0
5NW Lamy	7.0
Top of Sandia Tram	7.0
6SSE Santa Fe	6.5
10N Farmington	6.1
Sipapu Ski Area	6.0

Total Rainfall January 18-19 (inches)
Location	Amount
Rio Rancho	0.53
Albuquerque Foothills	0.40
Albuquerque Sunport	0.28
Glenwood	0.28
Los Lunas	0.27
Clines Corners	0.20

2nd Storm Brings Moderate Snow to Western New Mexico 19th - 20th

The second of three winter storms during the week of January 18th raced across the state on January 20, 2010. The IR satellite image below for 1100 am MST, depicts the second storm centered over New Mexico with a third, an exceptionally strong storm, approaching the west coast.

The map below, from the NOAA's National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center illustrates the models change in snow depth during the 24 hours prior to 1100 pm MST on January 20, 2010. The high terrain of western and northern New Mexico was favored by this storm, but snow accumulations were also reported over the Sandia/Manzano Mountains as well as the Sacramento Mountains.

A cold front accompanied the upper level system, and gusty westerly winds were common across the state, especially in locations along and south of Interstate 40. The tables below list some of the higher snowfall amounts and and peak gusts associated with this storm.

Total Snowfall January 20 (inches)
Location	Amount
Luna (Catron County)	8.0
Ramah (McKinley County)	6.0
La Cueva (Sandoval County)	6.0
Chama (Rio Arriba County)	4.5

Peak Gusts (mph)
Location	Speed
Sierra Blanca	60
Clovis	51
Grants	47

Third Storm Knockout Blow to West & Central New Mexico 21st - 24th

The third and final storm during the week of January 18th delivered heavy snow to much of western and central New Mexico from the morning of the 21st through the day on the 23rd. The first band of snow occurred on the morning of the 21st over far west and northwest sections of the state, with the Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfiled are getting dumped on with 4 to 8 inches of fresh snow. A strong cold front swept through the state on the 22nd, bringing a round of heavy snow with and behind the front across much of western and central New Mexico. An additional upper level disturbance crossed the southern portion of the state on the 23rd, bringing central and southern areas some additional snowfall. The first satellite image below was from the early morning of the 21st, showing the powerful, deep and cold storm off the pacific northwest coast. The second satellite image farther below shows the storm having moved inland into the northern rockies on the 23rd.

The radar images below show a sample of the precipitation on each of the three days (21st, 22nd, 23rd).

The tables below reveal some of the higher snowfall totals from this impressive storm.

Total Snowfall January 21-23 (inches)
Location	Amount
Dulce	24
Navajo Dam 1NE	24
El Vado	18
Red River area	16 - 18
El Morro 5E	16
Sandia Park 4NW	16
Bonito Lake area	13 - 15
Chama 5NW	15
Bluewater Lake 11WSW	15
Luna area	13 - 14
Jemez Springs	14
Tres Piedras	14
La Plata 4N	13

Total Snowfall January 21-23 (inches)
Location	Amount
Ruidoso 1SW	14
Cuba 1SSE	12
Mogollon 1W	12
McGaffey 5SE	12
Los Alamos 6W	12
Fence Lake 3N	11.5
Chupadero 7ESE	11
Farmington 7NE	10.5
Tres Ritos 3NW	10
Gallup 1SSW	10
Los Alamos 5WNW	10
Tijeras 10S	9.5
Aztec 9NE	9.1

Major Winter Storm Dumps Heavy Snow Across the Eastern Half of New Mexico 27th - 28th

After 3 storms last week, only 1 storm impacted New Mexico the week of the 25th, but it was an impressive one. The storm roared into southern California and northern Baja California on the 27th and was over New Mexico on the 28th. The water vapor satellite loop below shows the storm from the evening of the 27th and the evening of the 28th.



The storm delivered copious amounts of moisture, mostly in the form of snow, across the state. A strong cold front also barreled south across the eastern plains on the 27th and rushed through the central mountain passes and canyons into the Rio Grande Valley, delivering. A peak wind gust of 48 mph was reported at the Albuquerque Sunport. The radar loop below reveals the start of the precipitation over the southwest on the 27th, the extensive area of precipitation early on the 28th, with diminishing intensity and coverage later on the 28th.

Selected Snowfall Totals Across New Mexico
Location	Amount	Location	Amount
6 W Los Alamos (Pajarito Ski Area)	15.5	Grady	9.0
12 ENE Bell Ranch	15.0	Logan	9.0
Tucumcari	14.0	Vaughn	8.0
Wagon Mound	12.0	Las Vegas	7.0
1 SW Ruidoso	12.0	Elida	6.0
San Jon	11.0	Clovis	6.0
1 WNW Clayton	10.7	Chama	5.8
3 ESE Angel Fire	10.0	Santa Fe Metro Area	2.0 - 8.0
Broadview	10.0	Around Roswell	2.5 - 3.5
Roy	10.0	Around Gallup	1.5 - 3.0
Cedar Crest	9.0	Albuquerque Metro Area	Trace - 2.0

Storm Total Snow Accumulations

The map below shows the total snow accumulations between the 27th and 28th of January. Please note: some smoothing and estimation was used.

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office