WINTER STORM WARNING for Southwest Mountains, NM

Forecast for Thu Dec 13 07:00 AM EST
Southwest Mountains, NM 

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT MST FRIDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT MST FRIDAY NIGHT. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 8 INCHES ABOVE 8000 FEET WITH STORM TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 12 INCHES OVER THE PEAKS. LESSER AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES EXPECTED BELOW 8000 FEET.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED BO BEGIN ACCUMULATING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS AROUND MIDNIGHT...THEN SPREAD NORTH AND EAST WITH TIME...REACHING NORTHERN AREAS PRIOR TO SUNRISE FRIDAY. SNOW MAY CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...BUT SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOWS ARE EXPECTED TO END PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH. WINDS WILL THEN SHIFT TO THE WEST FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW LEVELS...AROUND 7000 FEET THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...THEN FALLING TO ALL LEVELS BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* LOCAL IMPACTS...SNOW PACKED AND ICY ROADS WILL DEVELOP. REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ARE LIKELY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE PERIODS OF HEAVIER SNOW. INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN GALLUP AND GRANTS AND HIGHWAYS 550 AND 64 WILL BE IMPACTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.