A powerful winter storm wreaked havoc in northern parts of New Mexico and Colorado, leaving a trail of stranded vehicles and power outages in its wake. The storm, which brought heavy snow and strong winds, resulted in challenging travel conditions and numerous accidents.
According to the National Weather Service, over 5.8 million people in Colorado and New Mexico were under winter storm warnings as the snowfall made travel difficult, if not impossible. The accumulation of more than 10 inches of snow in some areas, coupled with gusty winds up to 40 mph, created near-blizzard conditions and snow drifts exceeding 8 feet.
One of the most significant incidents occurred in northeastern New Mexico's Union County, where a jackknifed semi-truck on US Highway 64/87 led to approximately 100 vehicles becoming stranded. Emergency responders, including the New Mexico National Guard, worked tirelessly to assist the trapped drivers, many of whom were stuck in small cars.
Union County's emergency manager, Kristopher Lawrence, emphasized the challenges faced in the rural area due to limited resources. Efforts to clear the roads and free the stranded drivers were hampered by the harsh weather conditions, with temperatures below freezing.
As the storm continued to dump snow over the region, more than 30,000 customers in New Mexico lost power. The blizzard conditions severely impacted visibility, making travel treacherous.
Forecasters predicted additional snowfall in Clayton and Des Moines, New Mexico, with some areas expected to receive up to 20 inches of snow by the end of Friday. Blizzard warnings were issued for several counties in New Mexico, with emergency conditions expected to persist through Friday night.
In southeastern Colorado, a winter storm warning was in effect, with significant snow accumulation reported in many areas. Las Vegas, New Mexico, tied its record for November snowfall as the storm brought 24 inches of snow to the region.
The Weather Prediction Center warned of extreme snowfall amounts in northeastern New Mexico and eastern Colorado, with additional accumulations of 1 to 2 feet expected in the coming days.
