NWS News:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 615 AM MST FRI NOV 22 2013 ...MAJOR WINTRY STORM TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND... ARCTIC AIR WILL OVERSPREAD ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TODAY...WHILE BRISK WINDS AND AREAS OF SNOW...RAIN AND SOME MIXED WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT THEN REALLY RAMP UP FOR THE WEEKEND. A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST WILL PROVIDE A RIVER OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER NEW MEXICO. THE FIRST STRONG SURGE OF MOISTURE WILL WORK ACROSS NORTH AND WEST NEW MEXICO THEN PERHAPS AN EVEN STRONGER SURGE OVER THE WEEKEND WILL DUMP EVEN MORE SNOW ACROSS THE AREA AS THE MAIN CORE OF THE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MIGRATES EASTWARD INTO AND ACROSS THE REGION. NMZ510>516-527-222300- /O.CON.KABQ.WS.W.0025.000000T0000Z-131125T1300Z/ SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-JEMEZ MOUNTAINS- WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA- 615 AM MST FRI NOV 22 2013 ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST MONDAY... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST MONDAY. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 7 INCHES ABOVE 8000 FEET...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ON THE HIGHEST PEAKS...CAN BE EXPECTED. SNOW WILL MIX WITH RAIN AT TIMES BELOW 7500 FEET AND LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS. 1 TO 2 INCHES FOR THE UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND AREAS BELOW CANYONS SUCH AS TAOS MAY EXPERIENCE EVEN LOWER AMOUNTS. FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF SNOW FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...AN ADDITIONAL 7 TO 14 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...ARE POSSIBLE. * TIMING...RAIN AND SNOW WILL DECREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...SNOW WILL RETURN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING. * WINDS...NO WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WINDS ARE EXPECTED. AREAS BELOW CANYONS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF GUSTY GAP WINDS UP TO 50 MPH THROUGH THIS MORNING BEFORE DIMINISHING SOMEWHAT THIS AFTERNOON...THEN PICKING UP AGAIN THIS EVENING. * SNOW LEVELS...LOWERING TO 6500 FEET BEFORE RISING BACK TO BETWEEN 7000 AND 8000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW AT ALL LEVELS BY LATE TONIGHT OR SATURDAY. * LOCAL IMPACTS...ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW PACKED AND ICY. HEAVY SNOW MAY MAKE SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGH TERRAIN. GUSTY WINDS MAY CREATE SOME BLOWING SNOW AT TIMES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD... AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
