Storm brings welcome snow to New Mexico mountains
Unseasonable cold expected to continue through week
Meteorologists measured a trace of snowfall at the Sunport on Monday morning after the arrival of a cold front that dropped temperatures in metro Albuquerque to about 30 degrees below average. But areas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains received 6 inches or more of snowfall on Sunday and Monday morning.
A low temperature of 33 degrees Monday morning at the Albuquerque International Sunport was the lowest temperature observed on Oct. 15 dating back to 1970, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. The record low for the date is 29 degrees, set in 1914.
Residents in northern and central New Mexico will continue to have unseasonably cold weather through the week and into the weekend.
High temperatures in metro Albuquerque will be around 50 degrees today and Wednesday before moderating a bit to reach the mid-50s on Thursday and low 60s on Friday.
Andy Church, a meteorologist at the National
Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said a closed low-pressure system spinning over Arizona promises to keep active weather over much of the state today through Thursday.
“It will provide enough lift in Pacific moisture that it’s going to overrun the colder air in the low levels,” Church said. “We’ll have rounds of precipitation starting from the southwest (Tuesday) morning and spreading to the remaining portions of the state during the afternoon and evening.”
Meteorologists expect freezing temperatures everywhere in the state this morning with the exception of the lower and middle Rio Grande Valley.
Expect low temperatures in metro Albuquerque in the mid 30s this morning.
Areas near and above 8,000 feet could see accumulating snow with icy conditions possible on the east slopes of the central mountain chain and the northeast and central highlands.
Forecasters expect the low pressure system to gradually weaken on Wednesday as it drifts toward the Four Corners area and precipitation coverage to diminish but remain active in the northwest and north central areas as well as along and east of the central mountain chain.
On Thursday, a disturbance aloft will cross the area bringing the possibility of wintery precipitation to the higher elevations of northern New Mexico.
Meteorologists expect a drier and warmer trend on Friday as a weakening upper-level disturbance pulls away from northern New Mexico.
“It will start to feel like October again as we head toward the end of the workweek and into the weekend,” Church said.