Weekly Weather Briefing

Special Weather Briefing

NWS Albuquerque
December 7, 2009
 Major Winter Storm to Impact NM
through Tuesday
 Temperatures
 Highs will struggle to reach the 20s across the Northeast and East-central
Weekly Weather Briefing

Plains Thursday, with mainly 30s to lower 40s across the west and south.
These readings will be as much as 30 degrees below seasonal normal in
the east and 10-20 degrees below average across the west.
 Minimum temperatures both Thursday Night and Friday will be some of the
coldest observed so far this season. Lows are expected to vary from 10 to
20 degrees below zero in the northern mountain valleys, with single digits
and teens common elsewhere.
 Wind
 Gusty northeast winds tonight on the Eastern Plains will gradually diminish
during the day Thursday
 East-southeast winds will develop the below canyons along the Rio Grande
Valley and areas west of the Capitan and Northern Sacramento Mountains
overnight into Thursday.
 Precipitation
 Tonight  Thu: Areas of light to occasionally moderate snow will develop
and expand along and east of the Central Mountain Chain tonight into
Thursday.
 Widespread 1-3” accumulations are expected across eastern NM with
locally up to 4-5” along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo,
Sandia/Manzano, and Capitan/Northern Sacramento Mountains as well as
the Central High Plains to include the I-40 corridor.
Weekly Weather Briefing
 Forecast Surface Map Valid 11PM
Weekly Weather Briefing Mon

Co
ld
Ai
rM
as
s
Deep low pressure centered over northwest AZ will approach
the state late tonight. White lines = isobars or lines of equal
pressure.
 Forecast Surface Map Valid 5AM
Weekly Weather Briefing Tue

Deep low pressure tracks into southwest CO around

daybreak. Associated cold front pushes through central NM
Tuesday morning.
 Forecast Surface Map Valid 11AM
Weekly Weather Briefing Tue

Deep low pressure tracks into southwest CO around

daybreak. Associated cold front pushes through central NM
Tuesday morning.
 Jet Stream Forecast Map valid
Weekly Weather Briefing 5pm Tue

Jet

Axis of very strong jet stream oriented NW to SE across

New Mexico on Tuesday. Peak wind speeds of 160 mph!
Weekly Weather Briefing

Winds
 Surface Winds (sustained) valid
5AM Tue
Winds increasing
overnight!
Weekly Weather Briefing

Gusts 40+ mph

west-central and
southwest
mountains

Gusts 40+ mph

along/east of the
Central Mountain
Chain

Pink = Sustained
winds > 35 mph
 Surface Winds (sustained) valid
2PM Tue

Gusts 65-70 mph

Weekly Weather Briefing

south-central
mountains!

Gusts 50-60 mph

pink shaded
areas!
Weekly Weather Briefing

Snow
 Forecast Snowfall Amounts (in.)
Tonight  Tuesday Night
Weekly Weather Briefing

18-24” southern
San Juans
(orange/red)

1-3” Plains
3-6” East Slope
Areas
Weekly Weather Briefing

Temperatures
 Week at a Glance - Farmington
Mon
Weekly Weather Briefing

Sat
Fri

Tue
Thu

Wed

Avg High = 45
 Week at a Glance - Roswell

Fri
Weekly Weather Briefing

Thu Sat
Tue

Wed

Mon

Avg High = 57
 Departure from Normal– Max
Weekly Weather Briefing Temp Thu
 Forecast Min Temperature
Weekly Weather Briefing Thursday Night
Weekly Weather Briefing Forecast Max Temperature Friday
 5PM Wed
Weekly Weather Briefing Image is moisture

Wed: Fast northwest flow aloft persists through mid-week.

Snow continues for the San Juan and northern Sangres.
Temps remaining below seasonal average. Gusty winds
east of the Central Mountain Chain.
 5PM Thu
Weekly Weather Briefing Image is moisture

Thu: Next area of moisture upstream approaches as flow

aloft becomes more westerly. Precipitation not looking
significant.
 5PM Fri
Weekly Weather Briefing Image is moisture

Fri: Increasing rain and snow across the west…but

especially the northwest quarter (San Juans, northern
Sangres)
 Weekend Outlook
Weekly Weather Briefing

Sat: Focus NW quarter for precip. Sun: Similar to Saturday, although

Breezy/windy east. moisture gradually diminishes.
 Hazards & Impact Summary

 Hazardous Winter Driving Conditions Developoing
Tonight through Tuesday
Weekly Weather Briefing


 Classic “West Slope” snow event (San Juans, west
slopes of the Sangres)
Sangres)


 Winds will be SUBSTANTIAL with this storm system
 65+ mph gusts south-central mountains, east-

central and southeast plains.
 Blizzard conditions Gila Region/areas along east of

the Sandia/Manzano Mountains


 Precipitation to quickly diminish Tuesday evening


 Temperatures remaining below to
to well below average
through mid-week
 As always…
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Weekly Weather Briefing

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 Hazardous Weather Outlook
(web)
 weather.gov/abq
 inws.wrh.noaa.gov