Strong Winds & Mountain Snow on the Way

Courtesy/NWS

NWS News:

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque reports that a potent upper level disturbance is bringing accumulating snow to the higher terrain, then jet stream to strengthen and bring strong and potentially damaging winds.

Timing Through Sunday Morning.

Location –  Snow impacts Northern Mountains; Wind impacts area wide, but most significant eastern slopes of the Central Mountain Chain, Adjacent Highlands and East Central Plains.

Key Impacts:

  • West winds 40 to 50 mph with some gusts near 60 mph Saturday through early Sunday east slopes of the Central Mountain Chain, Adjacent Highlands and East Central Plains. 
  • West winds 25 to 40 mph with higher gusts elsewhere Saturday.
  • Snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches Northern Mountains, except higher totals near one foot along the higher west-facing slopes of the Tusas and Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Overview:

A potent upper level disturbance will move east across Utah and Arizona today, then continue across Northern New Mexico tonight resulting in breezy to windy conditions and mountain snows. Snow levels will start off above 10,000 feet and gradually lower to near 7,500 feet by Saturday morning. The higher west-facing slopes of the Tusas and Sangre De Cristo Mountains will be favored for more significant snowfall totals. The jet stream will increase behind the departing upper level disturbance on Saturday, leading to widespread windy to very windy conditions. Damaging winds are possible late Saturday through early Sunday across the east slopes of the Central Mountain Chain, Adjacent Highlands and East Central Plains.

Confidence:

High confidence on wind speed forecast, moderate to high confidence on forecast snow amounts.

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