First snowstorm of the year 'right on track' in Santa Fe
Nov. 25—Santa Feans woke up Saturday morning to a picturesque blanket of snow covering trees, cars, roads — and Ivan Head Stadium, where St. Michael's and Robertson High School faced off for a state title football game.
Snow began falling Friday evening shortly after the festivities at the city's annual Holiday Plaza Lighting, and between 3 to 4.5 inches accumulated in the Santa Fe area overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Light snow continued through the morning, with the weather service projecting a total daytime accumulation of 1 to 2 inches.
Although there was talk of moving the state championship football game, it ended up being held at Ivan Head Stadium.
"Crews are working to clear the field!" St. Michael's High School posted on its Facebook late Saturday morning.
Other nearby areas got more snow. At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the weather service reported about 5 inches of snow accumulation north of Taos, 9 inches in Red River and in Cuba and 6 inches in Dulce and in Sandia Park. Pajarito Mountain Ski Area near Los Alamos received 7, Taos Ski Valley received 9, and Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area in Colfax County got 6 inches of snow, according to a weather service news release.
By noon, Ski Santa Fe reported 6 inches of snow accumulation over the past 24 hours, as many locals and pass holders took advantage of the first powder day of the season, said marketing director Eric Thompson.
Snowmaking crews have been working overnight with the goal of opening up more terrain but are "still looking for a little help from Mother Nature," Thompson said. The ski area has four lifts and eight trails open.
Santa Fe's first snowstorm of the year typically arrives around Thanksgiving, so this year is "right on track," said Clay Anderson, a weather service meteorologist in Albuquerque.
The main takeaway from the forecast for the next several days is "dry and cold," he said — meaning no more precipitation. Temperatures in Santa Fe were expected to drop into the high teens Saturday and Sunday nights, but sunny or partly sunny Sunday and Monday, with highs near 39 degrees, should melt remaining snow. Daytime highs are expected to warm midweek to near 45 degrees.
Snow-covered roads and low visibility created dangerous conditions in many areas of Northern and Ventral New Mexico, especially Saturday morning, according the weather service's Facebook page. The state Department of Transportation reported severe driving conditions in the Taos area late Saturday morning, with "zero visibility" due a blizzard.
A New Mexico State Police dispatcher in Albuquerque said vehicles had been "flying off the roadway" since about 6 a.m., with many sliding into the median and some needing help getting out of the snow. However, only three vehicles had crashed on Interstate 25 in Santa Fe County as of late Saturday morning, all minor crashes with no injuries, the dispatcher said.
Santa Fe police reported five minor car crashes with no injuries from Friday evening through noon Saturday. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office reported a few minor crashes overnight but nothing significant, said spokeswoman Denise Womack-Avila.
