Wintry weather headed this way

From Ken De Los Santos, Clovis/Curry County emergency management director, warning of wintry weather expected for Clovis, Portales and Tucumcari areas:

A LARGE STORM SYSTEM SPINNING OFF THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE INLAND THURSDAY WITH ITS REMNANTS CROSSING NEW MEXICO FRIDAY.

ANOTHER STORM WILL ORGANIZE OFF THE WEST COAST LATE THIS WEEK AND AFFECT NEW MEXICO THIS WEEKEND. THESE TWO SYSTEMS WILL COMBINE TO BRING A PERIOD OF UNSETTLED WEATHER TO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.

THE TIMING AND TRACK OF THE STORMS ARE NOW MORE CERTAIN ... AND IT IS LIKELY THEY WILL PRODUCE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA FROM THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE FORM OF THE PRECIPITATION IS STILL A QUESTION MARK. LOW LEVEL COLD AIR OVER THE EAST COULD LEAD TO A MIX OF RAIN ... FREEZING RAIN ... SLEET AND SNOW THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY.

IN THE WEST LOOK FOR HIGHER MOUNTAIN ACCUMULATING SNOWS AND A MIX OF DAYTIME RAIN AND NIGHTTIME SNOWS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. SNOW AMOUNTS MAY REACH AROUND ONE FOOT OVER THE HIGHER SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES OF THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER.

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING THE JEMEZ THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. SOMEWHAT LESSER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS.

THE SECOND SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO PRODUCE MORE SIGNIFICANT AND WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. RIGHT NOW THE FAVORED AREAS FOR ACCUMULATING SNOWS FROM THE SECOND STORM WILL BE THE HIGH ELEVATIONS WEST OF INTERSTATE 25 TO THE ARIZONA BORDER.

THERE WILL BE AN UNSETTLED PERIOD OF WINTERY WEATHER FROM THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. IF PLANNING TRAVEL IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO DURING THIS TIME...STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH YOUR PREFERRED WEATHER INFORMATION SOURCE TO GET THE LATEST FORECASTS...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES.

PLAN ON WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS WITH POSSIBLE DELAYS ON THE ROADS ... AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION SAFELY.