NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Fresh snowfall has blanketed the New Mexican mountains with still more snow falling not only in the northern valleys to the high elevations, but also, light snow is fluttering down for many parts of the Rio Grande Valley, the East Highlands, the eastern parts of the Mimbres Valley, and far-Southeast New Mexico, with drier air in western areas. Air temperatures for nearly all are below freezing with light winds making it feel a little bit colder, but eventually, temperatures will slowly rise ahead with drier air.
Weakening low pressure in the Four Corners that is drifting to the south-southeast is drawing up enough moisture in the seasonably cold air-mass to produce the spotty snow that is drifting to the northeast. Air temperatures have been as low as a few degrees below zero degrees from the San Juan Mountains to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, around several degrees above zero from the San Luis Valley through the North-Central Mountain valleys to western New Mexico, but mostly in the teens, 20s, and lower 30s elsewhere.
Light snow with chilly rain showers in the East Plains will drift north-northeast in areas mostly north of I-40, as well as of the Northwest Mountains, With the clouds associated with the precipitation, below-normal temperatures will persist for all. From the morning school commute throughout the afternoon, temperatures will reach into the high teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and low 50s northeast to southwest from high to low elevation.
Precipitation will mostly end before midnight, allowing for an eventual warming trend with drier westerly winds will returning in earnest later this week before our next wintry pattern this weekend.