Snow belts N.M.
Some local areas receive more than a foot

Dressed for the inclement weather Monday, Roy Millsap walks through the snow and slush as he heads east along Historic Route 66 in Gallup. The wet snow coupled with near-freezing temperatures to create slick roads and caused the closure of all Gallup-McKinley County Schools. (Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent)

Independent staff

GALLUP — With less than a week before spring, much of New Mexico has been hammered by a late winter storm that dropped nearly two feet of snow in some parts and brought interstate travel to a halt.

The snow was expected to continue through today. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and advisories until this evening for most of northern and central New Mexico and the southern mountains.

Frank Strait, a meteorologist for AccuWeather, said about 4 to 5 inches of snow had fallen in Gallup by mid-afternoon Monday.

"To end up with 8 to 10 inches would be no surprise to me," Strait said.

However, many areas surrounding Gallup received more than a foot of snow and the mountain areas were hit with up to three feet of snow, the Weather Service said.

By early this morning, the snow had tappered off but temperatures plunged into the single digits and a dense layer of fog shrouded much of Gallup and the Interstate 40 corridor.

Schools in McKinley County were closed Monday, and were expected to have at least a two-hour delay this morning.

"It's really an incredible event," Weather Service meteorologist Ken Drozd said of the snowstorm. "It's more widespread, a little bit larger magnitude than we've had in awhile, but not unprecedented."

The state Transportation Department closed a portion of I-40 between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari and discouraged traffic on I-40 in McKinley and Cibola counties due to snow-covered roadways and reduced visibility.

The storm hit hardest along the Interstate 25 corridor between Albuquerque and Las Vegas. The southbound lanes of I-25 from Las Vegas to Santa Fe remained closed early today as did the usually busy stretch of the highway between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Rows of tractor trailer rigs lined up in Las Vegas waiting to head south, while other motorists scrambled to find hotel rooms. The American Red Cross opened a shelter in Las Vegas for those who couldn't find a vacancy late Monday.

The traffic also backed up along Interstate 40 in eastern New Mexico.

With nearly a foot of snow reported in Tijeras Canyon, authorities shut down I-40 between Albuquerque and Moriarty on Monday evening, leaving many commuters who live in the mountains east of Albuquerque stranded.

Snow-packed and icy conditions also were reported between Raton and Eagle Nest and between Springer and Clayton in northeastern New Mexico.

The UNM campus in Gallup was closed Tuesday, while New Mexico Highlands University and Santa Fe Community College were on a two-hour delay.

The winter storm reached southeast to Tucumcari and Clovis overnight. The Weather Service said Tucumcari could see more than a half-foot of snow by the evening, while Clovis should get at least three inches.

In southern New Mexico, snow was forecast for the northern Sacramento and Capitan mountains. Snowfall forecasts ranged from three to six inches at lower elevations to up to 10 inches above 7,500 feet.

By Wednesday, forecasters expect the storm to move out, although northern areas of the state could see a few chances for additional precipitation until the weekend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.