SNOWING UP A STORM
As rain turns to snow, government offices close in Santa Fe
A storm dumped at least 2 inches of snow in Bicentennial Park in Santa Fe on Thursday. Most state government offices were closed due to the inclement weather. Santa Fe is expected to reach a high of 42 on Friday, while Albuquerque will be sunny, cool and dry, with a high of 47.
Awinter storm brought rain and snow to central and northern New Mexico on Thursday, creating dangerous driving conditions and prompting the closure of state government offices in Santa Fe.
In Albuquerque, morning rain turned into snow flurries as temperatures fell to just above freezing.
National Weather Service reports showed as much as half an inch of rain in parts of Albuquerque. Snow dusted the Sandia Mountains on Thursday afternoon.
Parts of Santa Fe received as much as 2 inches of snow by
Thursday afternoon, according to National Weather Service reports.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the closure of most state government offices in Santa Fe at noon due to inclement weather and poor road conditions.
State law enforcement agencies and other departments providing essential services remained open, Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Nora Meyers Sackett said.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation reported that parts of Interstate 25 between Santa Fe and Las Vegas were snowpacked and icy. Several vehicles had lost control and veered off the road.
“Please slow down when driving in winter weather,” NMDOT tweeted.
The agency advised drivers to check road conditions at nmroads. com.
Albuquerque will be sunny, cool and dry Friday, with a forecast low of 30 and a high of 47.
Santa Fe is expected to have a high of 42 Friday. The weekend should be dry and slightly warmer for most of central New Mexico. But another cold front late next week will bring freezing temperatures, with rain in lower elevations and snow in higher elevations.
Winter storm updates are available at weather.gov/abq.