The month began with quite a punch, as a vigorous storm system aloft combined with a strong cold front to deliver some snow, strong and gusty winds, and very cold temperatures. The storm looked harmless on the 31st of October as it dropped south through the Rockies.  But by the 1st of November the storm had intensified over southern New Mexico and northern old Mexico.  The storm turned northeast on the 2nd as it slowly plowed through the Texas Panhandle.  In the storms wake was the season's first snowfall for portions of the east, primarily between Raton and Des Moines, from Quay county south into Lea county.  Although amounts were not that impressive, there was plenty of blowing snow as strong north winds blasted the eastern plains and sent temperatures plummeting into the 30s, and wind chills into the teens and single digits. 

The infrared satellite image below and to the left shows the swirling storm centered over southeast New Mexico on the afternoon of the 1st.  The radar image below and to the right shows fairly widespread precipitation across the eastern half of the state on the 1st.  However, precipitation was for the most part light to moderate.  There was one heavy band of snow that affected the far east central and southeast plains, and that was actually on the afternoon of the 2nd when the storm was ravaging the Texas Panhandle.  The visible satellite image far below and on the left shows the resulting snow cover on the morning of the 3rd.  Elsewhere, snow amounts were generally under an inch, except for a couple of inches in Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, and 3 inches just east of Clines Corners.  Part of the reason for the low snowfall totals was the wind.  Strong winds roared across the eastern plains on the 1st into the 2nd. Peak wind gusts of 59 mph were recorded at Raton, and 58 mph at Clayton.  Clovis had a peak wind gust of 47 mph while Tucumcari recorded 43 mph.  These strong and gusty winds made it nearly impossible to measure the snow.  Drifting snow was common, with reports of 4 to 8 feet just east of the border, where heavier snow was also reported.  Cold air plunged into the east as well on the 1st and remained on the 2nd.  The image far below and to the right shows temperatures during the late afternoon of the 2nd.  Note how much colder it was over the east, as compared to the west.