A second winter storm in as many weeks was approaching Northern New Mexico Tuesday.
The higher elevations of Rio Arriba County were already white from snowfall received Oct. 20 to 22, and a winter storm watch was issued by the National Weather Service for the area.
“It’s not snowing yet, but it looks like its going to very soon,” said David Martinez, assistant fire management director with the Carson National Forest’s Canjilon Ranger District. “Last week, we had about 8 to 10 inches (of snow) in the Canjilon Lakes area.”
Martinez said the lakes, which sit at 10,913 feet above sea level, were hit harder than other lower-level areas in northern Rio ARriba County. Chama, at an elevation of 7,880, received two inches of snow Oct. 20, but none has been recorded since then.
Cold weather has accompanied the wet weather. The low in Chama Tuesday was 21 degrees. The forecast was for a 50-percent chance of snow Wednesday (10/28) and Thursday (10/29) for the Chama area with accumulations of one to three inches and a high temperature of 36 degrees.
Snow this time of year is not unusual for Chama, which averages 3.2 inches of snowfall in October, according to the Service. The Service calls for partly cloudy skies Saturday (Halloween) evening with a high of 47 degrees and a low of 23 degrees in Chama.
Snow had begun to fall Wednesday (10/28) in parts of the Española Valley. The Service predicted a light snow could continue into Thursday. Española recorded a low of 23 degrees Tuesday but avoided the snow that hit the southeastern part of the County Monday.
“We had about 2 to 3 inches Monday morning,” Bill Franke, of the Hands Artes Gallery in Truchas, said. “It’s mostly melted but in the shade there’s still some snow left.”
A weak El Niño is expected to strengthen over the winter and bring above-average temperatures and above-average snowfall from January to March in most of New Mexico.