School closures, high winds and closed roads: Snow causes disruptions across northern and central New Mexico

The recent cold snap is not done yet in New Mexico. Some parts of the state will see wind chill as low as minus 40 degrees this week, according to the National Weather Service.

“It is definitely going to remain cold,” Daniel Porter, an NWS meteorologist, said Monday. “In fact, a lot of the snow is going to stick around for a while … Temperatures tomorrow, for many areas in the northern half of the state, will not even break the freezing mark, so it is here to stay for a little while.”

Porter said wind chills will get “dangerously cold” in many northern parts of the state.

“For tonight, -10 to as cold as -30 (degrees),” Porter said, looking toward Monday evening. “Angel Fire could approach -40 degrees tonight (Monday). Warm is not in our future.”

A third storm system is coming across Northwestern New Mexico starting Wednesday night, making its way into western and central New Mexico on Thursday morning, Porter said.

“That system certainly looks cold enough to support snow,” Porter said. “So some additional snowfall accumulation’s certainly expected. Current projections suggest it won’t be as strong as … the last event, but the heavy snowfall accumulations will most likely favor the western and northern mountains.”

On Monday, Santa Fe Public Schools announced closures, Bandelier National Monument delayed its opening and 90 mph winds were reported in northern New Mexico.

Snowfall varied across the state, some places had only trace amounts, while others recorded more than a foot of snowfall. Here’s a look at snow totals around New Mexico, according to the National Weather Service:

• Albuquerque — trace amounts up to 1.5 inches east of Tramway and Paseo del Norte NE
• Santa Fe — 2 to 6.4 inches, 18 inches at Ski Santa Fe
• Chupadero — 18 inches
• Ramah — 10 inches
• Farmington — .25 to 2 inches
• North of Aztec — 4.7 inches
• Tres Ritos — 16 inches
• Red River — 13 inches
• Ponderosa Pines — 10 inches
• Miera — 14 inches
• Sedillo — 7.6 inches
• Sandia Park — 3.7 inches
• Tijeras — 2.4 inches

Winds have been intense as well. Porter said wind gusts as high as 90 mph were reported at Raton Pass. In Clayton, winds were as high as 67 mph. Roswell reported 62 mph winds.