A large scale upper level storm system digging into the southern Rockies combined with deep, easterly, upslope flow over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico to produce very heavy snowfall. Strong upslope flow into the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from near Angel Fire south to Gason and Las Vegas produced intense snowfall rates during the evening of the 25th through sunrise on the 26th. Isolated locations around Gascon, Ledoux, and Chacon picked up 20 to 30 inches of snowfall. Lighter snowfall impacted areas farther south and east. However, amounts still averaged 4 to 8 inches and difficult travel was reported. Most folks noted heavy wet accumulations so impacts did not occur for too long after the snow ended.

Heavy Snow in CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 17:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 10:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Observers reported 4 to 8 inches of snowfall in a heavy burst on the evening of the 25th before slowly tapering off early on the 26th.

Heavy Snow in SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 15:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 11:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: SNOTEL

SNOTEL on the east slope of the southern exposure of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains reported a whopping 18 inches. Other areas across the mountains reported 3 to 7 inches.

Heavy Snow in NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 17:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 08:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Intense snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour during the evening of the 25th dumped 3 to 6 inches of snowfall in the area from Las Vegas to Ribera and Villanueva. Public reported this as a heavy wet snow.

Heavy Snow in EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 15:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 09:30:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Intense snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour during the evening of the 25th dumped between 24 and 30 inches of snowfall in the area from Chacon to Gascon and Ledoux. Areas farther north toward Angel Fire and Black Lake also picked up between 5 and 10 inches. The observer near Ledoux noted this was the heaviest snowfall event in many years.

Heavy Snow in GUADALUPE COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 19:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 08:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

An intense band of snowfall impacted western Guadalupe County with high snowfall rates. Spotters reported between 3 and 7 inches over the area from near Vaughn northward toward Pastura and around Anton Chico.

Heavy Snow in DE BACA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 21:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 10:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

An intense band of snowfall impacted De Baca County with high snowfall rates late on the evening of the 25th. Spotters reported between 3 and 5 inches across the county, including Fort Sumner.

Heavy Snow in EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 25-JAN-16 17:00:00 to 26-JAN-16 11:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Spotters around the area from Corona east along state highway 247 reported near 7 inches of snowfall with intense snowfall rates during the evening of the 25th.