Special Weather Briefing

Special Weather Briefing

“Major Winter Storm
Update”

NWS Albuquerque
February 1, 2011
 Bottom Line
 Record breaking Arctic air mass firmly
entrenched over region; slowly
Special Weather Briefing

advancing toward NM/AZ state line

 Life threatening COLD; temperatures
not seen in decades
 Widespread heavy snow returns for
western two-thirds of area tonight;
focus across West Central,
Southwest/Upper Gila, Middle/Lower
Rio Grande Valley and South-central
Mountains
 Upper Level Forecast Chart
(Image is Precip Potential)
5PM Today, 2/1
Special Weather Briefing

L L

Strengthening low pressure aloft over Central Rockies

moves southwest toward the Four Corners tonight. Very
favorable pattern for widespread snow northern and
western NM.
 Upper Level Forecast Chart
(Image is Precip Potential)
Midday Wednesday, 2/2
Special Weather Briefing

Intense upper level low drops due south along NM/AZ

border during the day Wednesday. Pattern remains VERY
favorable for continued snow western two-thirds of NM.
 Upper Level Forecast Chart
(Image is Precip Potential)
5PM Thursday, 2/3
Special Weather Briefing

Upper level low weakens as it moves over NM Bootheel

during the day Thursday. Rapidly improving conditions
from north to south early Thursday morning.
Special Weather Briefing
 Total “Liquid Equivalent”
24-hour Total Ending 11am Wed
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Snow to Liquid Ratio (SLR)

20:1 to 30:1

0.50” liquid = 10 to 15” snow

0.25” liquid = 5 to 8” snow

Axis of heaviest precipitation

(snow) along Continental Divide
west of Grants southeastward to
Socorro to Ruidoso/Cloudcroft
 Total “Liquid Equivalent”
24-hour Total 11am Wed to 11am
Thu
Special Weather Briefing

Precipitation quickly wanes and

shifts into far southern NM
 Additional Snowfall Projected through
Special Weather Briefing 5Pm Wed

2-3” 3-6”

≤1”

3-6” 2-3”

5-8”
lcl 12”
 Easterly Gap Winds Rio Grande
Special Weather Briefing Valley

Easterly gap winds to peak in strength during the

evening. Dangerous sub-zero wind chill values.
 Dangerously Cold
Maximum Temperatures Wednesday
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Forecast Departure from Normal

 Forecast Minimum Temperatures
Thursday Morning
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 Current & Expected Impacts
Weather
 Snow, Blowing Snow, and Drifting Snow with
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reduced visibilities across a large portion of

Northern and Central NM
 Record Extreme Cold through Thursday: 
25 to 45 degrees below normal
 Dangerous Wind Chills: 0 to -40 degrees
below zero
 Near Blizzard Conditions below canyons in
the Rio Grande Valley and over the
Southeast Plains through tonight
 Current & Expected Impacts
Public & Enterprise:
 Election Day for UNM and ABQ public schools
Special Weather Briefing

 Numerous School Closures and Delays CWA-

wide
 Numerous State and Local Government
Closures CWA-wide
 Numerous Major Interstate and State Highway
closures for accidents, including Interstates 25
and 40
 Potential significant losses to the livestock
industry across Southeast Plains due to
extreme cold exposure
 Potential significant loss of production and
transport of natural gas and oil resources
across the Southeast Plains
 Potential water and property damage due to
exposed pipes and plumbing
 As always…
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Special Weather Briefing

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