The National Weather Service’s Albuquerque office is calling it a “one-two punch.â€
Two sets of wintry weather are on their way to ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe, with one storm that was expected to move through New Mexico late Sunday and into Monday, and another coming late Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning — indicating high likelihood of a storm — for much of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as well as the Sandia and Manzano mountains, including the town of Edgewood.
The agency has forecast “heavy snow†of between 2 and 5 inches below 7,500 feet and 5 and 10 inches above 7,500 feet, and winds on the southern and eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristos gusting as high as 45 mph.
The warning will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.
The city of ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe is ready for the storm, Public Works Director Regina Wheeler said. “The streets maintenance team has been preparing for months, actually, for snow season,†she said.
Her agency has conducted preventive maintenance of equipment and has scheduled crews for two 12-hour shifts each day.
“We watch the weather, and we get out before 4 a.m. to help [the] city manager make a call about conditions for any delayed starts,†Wheeler said, adding the city’s plan for snow removal, available online, focuses on high-priority roadways with heavier traffic, roads to schools and emergency routes for first responders.
The National Weather Service also has issued a winter weather advisory — which is less serious than a warning — for much of Northern New Mexico, including the Jemez Mountains, Glorieta Pass and the northeastern highlands.
Between 1 and 5 inches of snow are expected between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with up to a foot of snow possible above 9,000 feet of elevation. Winds may gust at up to 35 mph.
The advisory, which will be in effect for much of the day Monday, includes the towns of Los Alamos and Las Vegas, N.M.
What does all of that mean for ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe proper?
A chilly night — with temperatures expected to bottom out just below freezing — and the possibility of about an inch of snow in the morning, said Todd Shoemake, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service in Albuquerque office.
“In short, we’re expecting colder temperatures and breezy to windy conditions and then periods of rain and snow,†Shoemake said.
In particular, the forecaster added, rain and snow are expected between 3 and 9 a.m., placing a particular strain on the morning commute.
“That’s certainly going to cause some travel concerns. I think, initially, the ground will be pretty warm, so it’ll be a little bit hard for it to stick,†Shoemake said.
“But as we get toward maybe 3 a.m., 4 a.m., 5 a.m., snow might be falling fast enough to where it does actually accumulate a little bit — so definitely going to be some travel slowdowns,†he added.
Now’s the time to winterize your car, and it’s a good idea to keep an ice scraper and broom on hand, Shoemake said.
“That’s one thing we really urge people to do: Clear off your car before you start driving,†he said.
