Heavy Snow For The Sac's & T-Storms For SE NM Tonight!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Apache Ski @ 2;30 PM MST Today.

As of Noontime today the Sierra Blanca Snotel (Automated Weather Station) located near Ski Apache, west of Ruidoso, had picked up 3" of new snow. 

Compact & Potent Little Storm Approaching.

GFS 500 MB (18,000' MSL) Analysis.

Valid @ 11:00 AM MST This New Years Morning.

RAP 500 MB (18,000' MSL) Analysis.

Valid @ 1 PM MST This New Years Afternoon.

Visible Satellite Image.

Valid @ 1:45 PM MST This New Years Afternoon.

Regional Radar.

Valid @ 2:00 PM MST This New Years Afternoon.

A small but fairly intense upper level storm was located just south of Tucson, Arizona in Northern Old Mexico early this afternoon. Enough instability, cold air aloft, and moisture associated with this approaching winter storm have set a line of thunderstorms across Southern and Southwestern New Mexico this afternoon. Light snow mixed with rain fell in Cloudcroft earlier this morning and snow is falling at Ski Apache west of Ruidoso. 

Heavy Snow For The Sac's & T-Storms For The SE NM Plains?

HRRR Radar Forecast.

Valid @ 5 PM MST This Evening.

HRRR Rainfall Forecast.

Valid @ 5 AM MST Monday Morning.

HRRR Snowfall Forecast. 

Valid @ 5 AM MST Monday Morning.

NWS Storm Prediction Center Severe Weather Outlook This Afternoon & Evening.

Winter Weather Advisory For The Southern Sacramento Mtn's.

A line of thunderstorms now moving through El Paso (as of 3:00 PM MST) should move off of the Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains by around sunset and out onto the southeastern New Mexico plains...according to the latest High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) computer forecast model. Interesting enough this short range model is forecasting decent rainfall totals from this quick hitting storm of around .25" to .75" for the southeastern plains tonight. And its also forecasting snowfall totals in the higher elevations of the Sacramento Mountains of 12" to 14". No doubt the folks at Ski Apache and Ski Cloudcroft would love to see this verify! 

A few strong thunderstorms will be possible this evening across the southeastern plains which will be capable of producing hail, brief heavy rain, and strong wind gusts. A severe thunderstorm or two is not totally out of the question across the southeastern plains and parts of West Texas this evening!

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!