SE NM Heavy Snow November 13th-15th, 1961.

Record heavy snows fell across the southern one half of New Mexico on November 13th - 15th, 1961. This are the heaviest snowfall totals for so early in the season on record. Many hunters in the Guadalupe and Sacramento mountains became stranded by the deep snow and drifts and had to be rescued. One account in the Artesia Daily Press states that five camps of 25 hunters were rescued near Mayhill alone. Others were rescued in the Guadalupe mountains. Note Elephant Butte Dam recorded 19.0" of snow from this storm.

November 13th-15th, 1961.

Reported Low Temperatures:

Elk Climate Co-Op Station -4º

Bitter Lakes Wildlife Refuge Climate Co-Op Station -3º

Roswell Climate Co-Op Station -1º

Picacho Climate Co-Op Station 3º

Mayhill Climate Co-Op Station 4º

Ruidoso Climate Co-Op Station 5º

Artesia Climate Co-Op Station 10º

Local Snowfall Totals:

Cloudcroft Climate Co-Op Station 33.0"

Mayhill Ranger Station 24.0"

Elk Climate Co-Op Station 19.0"

Ruidoso Climate Co-Op Station 18.9"

Capitan Climate Co-Op Station 18.0"

Mescalero Climate Co-Op Station 15.0"

Roswell Climate Co-Op Station 12.2"

Circle F Ranch Climate Co-Op Station 12.0"

Picacho Climate Co-Op Station 12.0"

Flying H Ranch Climate Co-Op Station 10.0"

Yeso Climate Co-Op Station 9.5"

Mountain Park Climate Co-Op Station 8.0"

Las Cruces Climate Co-Op Station 8.0"

Tatum Climate Co-Op Station 5.5"

Artesia Climate Co-Op Station 5.3"

Carlsbad Caverns Cliimate Co-Op Station 3.0"

Lovington Climate Co-Op Station 3.0"

Carlsbad Climate Co-Op Station 1.5"

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction - And Sometimes It Hurts!