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Flowers bloomed and seedlings sprouted throughout Albuquerque in the last few weeks, but Tuesday marked a return to winter-like weather and the potential for freezing temperatures tonight.
Less than a tenth of an inch of rain fell at the Albuquerque International Sunport on Tuesday, but much of the top third of the state saw several inches of snow, which is projected to continue falling through midday today, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
The Duke City usually sees its last freeze around April 13, according to a NWS spokesman, but the dramatic shift between above-normal temperatures to potential freezes prompted the service to issue a “hard freeze” warning in Albuquerque and much of northeastern New Mexico.
The spring storm created blizzard conditions in Colorado and sprawled over Colorado, Kansas and parts of Oklahoma.
Less than a tenth-of-an-inch of rain fell in the metro area on Tuesday, but temperatures plummeted within 24 hours and prompted the National Weather Service to issue a freeze warning in Albuquerque and much of northwest New Mexico tonight. However, meteorologists expect temperatures to return to normal Thursday. (roberto e. rosales/journal)
“This really is a pretty monstrous storm,” meteorologist Todd Shoemake said Tuesday evening . “It’s kind of a shock to the system within the last 24 hours.”
Chama got at least 6 inches of snow by Tuesday evening, and around a foot of snow in total was projected to fall on the highest peaks in the Jemez Mountains.
But come Thursday, Shoemake said, average to above-average temperatures will return, in addition to the afternoon winds typical of spring, which began almost three weeks ago.
— This article appeared on page C01 of the Albuquerque Journal
