JANUARY 2005 WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR NEW MEXICO

The start of 2005 across New Mexico was wet and mild across much of the state. 

An active and unsettled weather pattern dominated New Mexico during the early part of January 2005.  A slow moving storm off the California coast on the 2nd and 3rd moved inland on the 4th and finally crossed New Mexico, in a weakened form, early on the 5th.  But plenty of moisture was drawn north ahead of the storm.  Initially, the atmosphere was warm, with rain showers and only higher mountain peak snow showers on the 2nd and 3rd.  But the snow level lowered on the 4th and 5th with more widespread mountain snows the result.  An arctic cold front also dipped into the northeast quarter of the state late on the 4th, producing some freezing rain and snow over this area into the 5th.  A prolonged southwest flow from the 7th through 11th, combined with several weak upper level disturbances, brought a good deal of moisture into northwest New Mexico.  The first band of snow fell on the night of the 7th and during the day on the 8th, dumping up to a foot of snow to the higher elevations of the northwest mountains.  The second round of snow fell over only the highest elevations of the northern mountains on the night of the 9th and early on the 10th.  The third disturbance on the night of the 10th was weak, with only some higher elevation snows in the northern mountains. The fourth and final storm crossed the state on the night of the 11th into the 12th.  This was the strongest of the 4 systems and delivered more widespread wind, snow, some rain and much colder temperatures to the state.  The cold air remained in the northeast much of the time through the 17th, as a couple of surges of arctic air pressed into this area.  Generally dry and mild weather ensued from the 18th through 20th.  A slow moving storm along Baja California on the 21st finally moved northeast and provided some rain showers, high mountain snow showers and even a couple of thunderstorms to the west and south from the 21st through 24th.  Precipitation certainly was not continuous during this time, and was mostly light.  A dry day on the 25th gave way to a round of rain and higher elevation snow showers across the state on the 26th and 27th.  The end of the month remained active as the final storm in January affected the Land of Enchantment from later on the 29th through the 30th.  This was a more impressive storm, delivering heavy snow to the mountains and northeast, and rain showers to much of the southern lowlands.

� Slow Moving Storm Brings Rain and Higher Elevation Snows From the 2nd Through 5th
 �  Storm System Brings Heavy Snowfall to Central and Northern New Mexico on the 29th and 30th
� Temperature and Precipitation Data For Albuquerque

� Severe Weather Across New Mexico

Slow Moving Storm Brings Rain and Higher Elevation Snows From the 2nd Through 5th

A storm dropped south from the Pacific Northwest at the start of the New Year, taking up residence off the California coast on the 2nd and 3rd.  The water vapor satellite image (above, left) and infrared satellite image (above, right) are from the same time on the evening of the 3rd.  They both show the well developed, cold storm.  Note that water vapor satellite images display high level moisture, while infrared satellite images detect the temperatures of the clouds.  The radar loop to the right shows a large band of precipitation moving northeast across central New Mexico on the evening of the 3rd.  A few of these bands or lines of precipitation crossed the state from the 3rd through the 4th, producing fairly impressive rain and snowfall totals.  The tables below reveal some of the higher four day rainfall and snowfall totals, from the 2nd through 5th. 
Total Snowfall From the 2nd - 5th 
Location Snow Amount (inches)
Red River 12
Angel Fire 10
Chama  9
10NE Zuni Pueblo 7
20NE Jemez Pueblo 6
Questa 6
Taos 5-6
Dulce 5
Maxwell 4
Fence Lake 4
Luna  4
Quemado 3
Gallup 3
Total Rainfall From the 2nd - 5th 
Location Rain Amount (inches)
Corona 1.96
Ruidoso 1.40
Cloudcroft 1.30
Roy 1.24
Faywood 1.20
Animas 1.12
Glenwood 1.05
Placitas 1.05
Alamogordo 1.03
Espanola 0.90
Melrose 0.88
Tucumcari 0.85
Deming 0.80

Storm System Brings Heavy Snowfall to Central and Northern New Mexico on the 29th and 30th

A potent upper level storm tracked through southern California on the 29th and into Arizona and central New Mexico on the 30th. This system had plenty of cold air and moisture to work worth. In addition, easterly surface upslope flow aided in providing sufficient lift along the eastern slopes of the central mountain chain. The ingredients allowed for significant snowfall to accumulate for locations north of Interstate 40. The heaviest hit areas, with at least one foot of snow, were the eastern slopes of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains as well as the southern San Juan and Jemez Mountains. Precipitation developed over the western half of the state on the afternoon of the 29th, expanding eastward during the evening hours. Even a few lightning strikes were observed along the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, the Rio Grande Valley and parts of the eastern plains. A heavy band of precipitation pushed through the eastern portion of the state during the early morning hours on the 30th (see radar image to the right). A sharp rain-snow line was noted north of the Interstate 40 corridor in the far eastern plains. Activity near Tucumcari remained in the form of rain for most of the night, eventually changing over to snow. Tucumcari observed under one inch of snowfall which quickly melted, while locations just 30-50 miles to the north (Mosquero to Nara Visa) received 5 to 7 inches of fresh snow. Snowfall diminished over the northeast portion of the state on the evening of the 30th.

Regional Radar

 

Water Vapor Satellite
Total Snowfall for the 29th and 30th 
Location Snowfall Amount (inches)
Angel Fire 18
Ute Park 15
Raton 12
Cuba 12
Nara Visa 6-7
Roy 6
Springer 6
Sedillo 6
Sandia Park 5
Clayton 2-3
Santa Fe 2-3
Gallup 2
Albuquerque Metro

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TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION DATA FOR ALBUQUERQUE - JANUARY 2005

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

The average maximum temperature for January 2005 was 51.6o, which was 4.0 degrees above the 30 year normal of 47.6o. 

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

The average minimum temperature for the month was 31.8o, which was 8.0 degrees above the normal of 23.8o.  

The average temperature for January was 41.7o which was 6.0 degrees above the normal of 35.7o.  The 2005 year is off to a much warmer than normal start and the average temperature was the third warmest January since 1931. 

Albuquerque daily precipitation - January 2005

An impressive 1.38 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Albuquerque Sunport in January 2005.  This was 0.89 inches above the 30 year normal of 0.49 inches.  Most of the precipitation fell from the 2nd through the 4th, and on the 27th.  The three-day (2nd - 4th) total of 0.76 inches is the 8th greatest three consecutive day January total since 1931.  January 2005 ranks as the 2nd wettest on record since 1892!  Only 1916 was wetter, when 2.52 inches of precipitation was recorded.

Albuquerque daily snowfall - January 2005

There was only a trace of snow recorded at the Albuquerque Sunport in January 2005.  Normal snowfall is 3.7 inches.  No snow was reported back in 1976, while 15 other January's since 1931 reported just a trace of snow.  Only 2.2 inches of snow has fallen so far this winter season.

SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS NEW MEXICO - JANUARY 2005

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