MARCH 2005 WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR NEW MEXICO

March 2005 was again cooler than normal across much of the state with above normal precipitation.  

The month began with a weak storm system crossing New Mexico on the 1st, but only isolated to scattered showers and higher elevation snow showers were noted across the state.  A similar scenario occurred on the 3rd. Then a much stronger storm affected the Land of Enchantment on the 5th and 6th.  This was yet another slow moving storm along the west coast that was able to draw moisture north and northeast well ahead of the main center of the storm.  A moderate amount of rain and a little high elevation snow fell from this system.  A drier pattern emerged from the 7th through 12th as a northwest flow developed in the mid levels of the atmosphere.  However, a couple of fast moving disturbances raced southeast in this flow to bring gusty winds and isolated showers and storms to the east.  The first one was the strongest, and crossed the eastern plains during the afternoon and evening of the 8th.  Wind gusts in the 40s to mid 50s were noted at many locations.  The second disturbance crossed the eastern plains late on the 10th with gusty winds and isolated showers.  The 11th and 12th were dry and mild, but with gusty winds on the 12th.  The pattern began to change again from the 13th through the middle of the month as a storm dropped south into the great Southwest on the 14th, then strengthened and crossed New Mexico on the 15th.  A strong cold front dropped south into the state as well late on the 12th through the 13th.  This combination brought the biggest snowstorm of the winter to the state from the 13th through the early morning hours of the 16th.  The weather was more tranquil on the 16th through 18th.  A series of mostly weak disturbances crossed New Mexico from the 18th through 24th, delivering occasional isolated rain showers and mountain snow showers. A quick moving system did bring moderate snowfall to northern New Mexico on the 25th.  Another fast moving storm delivered strong winds to the state on the 29th, especially across the southern counties.  The month ended like a lion over northeast New Mexico as a rather small, but intense storm organized over the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles early on the 31st.  High winds and heavy snow resulted in blizzard conditions from Raton to Capulin and Des Moines, with 7 to 8 inches of snow and 3 to 4 foot drifts across this region.    

� Biggest Snowstorm of the Winter Season Strikes New Mexico
� Quick Moving Upper Lows Bring Snowfall to Northern New Mexico
� Temperature and Precipitation Data For Albuquerque

� Severe Weather Across New Mexico

Biggest Snowstorm of the Winter Season Strikes New Mexico From the 13th Through the 15th

Surface temperatures on Saturday, March 12th

 

Surface temperatures on Sunday, March 13th

 

The start of Spring was just a week away and temperatures prior to this storm had climbed into the 60s, 70s and 80s across much of  the state.  Many residents of New Mexico had begun the winter cleanup of their yards, trimmed trees and bushes, and fertilized their lawns.  But old man winter had one last gasp, or in this case it was more of a blast.  

A strong cold front swept through the eastern plains early on the13th.  The two images above show surface temperatures on the afternoons of the 12th and 13th, revealing the cold air pouring into the east.  Meanwhile a storm was brewing in the Pacific Northwest on the 12th.  It dove south into the Great Basin by the 14th as it gathered strength, then crossed New Mexico on the 15th.  This was not a particularly powerful storm, but it was getting stronger and stronger as it moved into the great Southwest.  In addition, the cold front delivered strong and long duration upslope winds to the eastern half of the state.  Not only was the air behind this front quite cold, but it was very moist.  Thus, a deep layer of cold, moist air set up east of the central mountain chain and persisted for a couple of days.  This resulted in heavy snow across much of the east central and northeast portions of New Mexico, but especially along the east slopes of the Sangre De Cristo and Sandia Mountains.  

The sample radar image to the right shows widespread precipitation across the state during the late afternoon of the 13th, while the radar image directly below shows precipitation primarily focused along the east slopes of the central mountains by the evening hours of the 14th.  The image below and to the right shows how cold it was across the state on the afternoon of the 15th as the storm crossed the state, while temperatures on the morning of the 16th were exceptionally cold, and included many record lows.  The visible satellite image far below illustrates just how widespread this snow event was, while the table far below and to the right lists the more impressive snowfall totals from this late winter storm.  Click here for a detailed map showing many more snowfall reports.  
Radar image showing widespread precipitation 
 on the afternoon of Sunday, March 13th

 

Radar image showing precipitation concentrated along the east slopes of the Central Mountain Chain on the afternoon of Monday, March 14th
Afternoon surface temperatures on Tuesday, March 15th
(Click here for specific map data)
Visible satellite image showing deep snow cover over the
 northern two-thirds of New Mexico on Wednesday, March 16th
Total Snowfall From the 13th - 15th 
Location Snow Amount (inches)
Coyote Creek State Park 48
Cowles 38
Gascon 34
Mineral Hill 34
Chacon 30
Sedillo Hill 27
Sandia park 5E 24
Las Vegas 24
Cedar Crest 2E 24
San Jose 20
Springer 6N 19
Edgewood 2SE 18
Wolf Canyon 18
Santa Fe area 11-18
Albuquerque area 4-10

Record Low Temperatures on March 16th

Location

New Record

 Old Record
Red River -11 -9 in 1960
Moriarty -10 16 in 2002
Raton -7 10 in 1959
Chama -1 -1 in 1978
Las Vegas 2 10 in 1969
Santa Fe Airport 6 17 in 1943
Gallup 10 11 in 2002
Tucumcari 12 21 in 2002
Fort Sumner 13 18 in 1960
Santa Rosa 16 17 in 1960
Albuquerque Sunport 18 19 in 1962
Albuquerque Valley 20 26 in 2001
Roswell 24 25 in 1962

 

(click on image above for larger version)

Quick Moving Upper Lows Bring Snowfall to Northern New Mexico From the 24th - 26th 
Total Snowfall From the 24th - 26th 
Location Snow Amount (inches)
Quemado Lake 6
Brazos 5
Red River 4
Sandia Park 4
Santa Fe 2-4
Clovis 3
Conchas 3
Cuba 8SW 3
Moriarty 2
White Rock 2
Zuni Pueblo 2
Los Alamos 1-2
Albuquerque Foothills

1-2

A series of fast moving upper level disturbances tracked through New Mexico Thursday evening (March 24th) as a surface cold front pushed through the eastern plains.  Snowfall developed over the west central and northern mountains early Friday morning (the 25th).  An upper level low formed over southeast Utah Friday evening, the 25th, and eventually tracked through the central parts of the state and into southeast New Mexico and west central Texas by Saturday evening.  The upper level energy in conjunction with moisture and weak low level upslope flow brought snowfall to many locations within the northern and central mountains as well as locations east of the central mountain chain.  Temperatures behind the surface front were cold enough to support snowfall over the northeast highlands as well as the northeast plains.  However, temperatures were a bit too warm for areas in the east central and especially the far southeast plains.  Some convective bands of heavier snowfall did overcome the warm temperatures, especially at locations such as Conchas, Moriarty, and Clovis.  The radar image to the upper left shows the precipitation heading for the city of Clovis.  As you can see from the visible satellite to the left, taken on Sunday morning the 27th, a narrow band of snow (3-4 inches deep) occurred within 20 to 25 miles either side of Clovis.  A zoomed in image of the satellite shows how folks just several miles away in Portales, Floyd, and Melrose were wondering what all the commotion was about.  Meanwhile, the Albuquerque International Sunport received 0.3 inches of snow on Saturday, March 26th.  This broke the previous daily snowfall record, which was 0.2 inches, set in 1937.

TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION DATA FOR ALBUQUERQUE - MARCH 2005

Albuquerque daily actual maximum (red bars) and normal maximum (purple line) temperatures - March 2005

The average maximum temperature for March 2005 was 57.1o, which was 5.3 degrees below the 30 year normal of 62.4o.  This was the coldest average maximum temperatures had been since 1969!  The high of 32 on the 15th, the Ides of March, was a full 30 degrees below normal and easily a record low maximum temperature for the date. 

Albuquerque daily actual minimum (blue bars) and normal minimum (purple line) temperatures - March 2005

The average minimum temperature for the month was 34.7o, which was 1.0 degrees above the normal of 33.7o.  The low of 18 on the morning of the 16th was a record low minimum temperature.

The average temperature for March was 45.9o which was 2.2 degrees below the normal of 48.1o.  

 

Albuquerque daily precipitation - March 2005

An impressive 1.12 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Albuquerque Sunport in March 2005.  This was 0.51 inches above the 30 year normal of 0.61 inches, and the 9th wettest March on record since 1850.  Most of the precipitation fell on the 14th as an impressive rain and snow event blanketed the state. The 0.54 inches on the 14th was a record daily precipitation total.  The total precipitation for the year so far is an astounding 4.28 inches, making the first three months of 2005 the wettest start to any year since records began in 1850!  Second place belongs to 1863, when 4.04 inches for precipitation was recorded through the 1st three months of that year. 

Albuquerque daily Snowfall - March 2005

There was 4.2 inches of snow in March.  Normal snowfall  is 1.9 inches.  Most of the snowfall occurred on the 14th, when 3.3 inches accumulated.  This was a record snowfall for the 14th of March.  Total snowfall for the year is also 4.2  inches, with 6.4 inches for the winter season.  Normal snowfall for an entire winter season is 13.8 inches.

SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS NEW MEXICO - MARCH 2005

There was no severe weather reported across New Mexico in March 2005.