Snow unlikely this Christmas

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, make sure you’re also dreaming of a far-flung trip because eastern New Mexico’s weather forecast isn’t calling for any snowfall over the holiday weekend.

Two conditions are required for snowfall — precipitation and temperatures of 32º or lower. The National Weather Service is predicting a 0% chance of precipitation this week, and low temperatures are in the high 30s for the weekend.

Todd Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said snow this week will likely be relegated to areas above 8,000 or 9,000 feet.

“Any precipitation will generally favor western to north-central New Mexico, and you'll have to go pretty high to see any appreciable (snow) accumulation,” Shoemake said.

Monday marked 71 days without precipitation in Clovis, the last coming on Oct. 10. The record for the area to go without precipitation is 108 days, set in 1943.

Today’s weather calls for highs near 70, with west winds between 15 and 20 mph. Highs range between 68 and 72 for the rest of the week, with light winds predicted for Thursday and Friday.

Winds will start to pick up across the state on Thursday night and into Friday morning, although they won't be as widespread or severe as the state experienced last week.

Taos Ski Valley recorded wind speeds of 103 mph on Dec. 15. The Las Vegas airport clocked gusts of 90 mph and winds in Gallup reached 75 mph.

“We do anticipate quite a few places, especially the high-elevation places … could be looking at some 70 mile-an-hour gusts,” Shoemake said. “Along the central mountain chain, a lot of those places could be hit really hard.”

For anybody planning holiday travel, the average price at the pump has dropped slightly from last week, according to AAA New Mexico. The average statewide price on Monday was $3.25 for a gallon of unleaded fuel, three cents less than Dec. 13 but $1.08 more than the price on Dec. 20, 2020. A release from AAA noted concerns over the COVID-19 omicron variant created volatility in the crude oil market and led to pump prices falling.