New Mexico governor declares emergency as western winter storm leaves thousands without power

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s governor declared a state of emergency Thursday after a powerful winter storm left tens of thousands of people without power as heavy snow, high winds and freezing temperatures marched across the northern two-thirds of the state and into Colorado.

Dozens of crews with Public Service Co. in New Mexico was mobilized to speak widespread outcomes there had been reports overnight and into the early morning hours from Albuquerque to Santa Fe and beyond as the snow brought tree limbs down on power lines.

The utility acknowledged frustrations and urged residents to be patient, saying there were about 19,000 people still affected by the outages Thursday night. That was down from 50,000 earlier in the day.

“This is really an unprecedented storm because it came so early and so strong while there were still leaves on the trees. It has caused limbs to be much heavier than they normally would be,” said PNM spokesman Jeff Buell and added that crews were dealing with hundreds of separate repair jobs in Albuquerque alone.

With more snow in the forecast, Buell said there could be additional fallout through Friday.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s declaration unlocks state funding for emergency response efforts. Funding will also be channeled to the New Mexico National Guard, which has helped clear roads.

Schools in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and elsewhere in northern New Mexico canceled classes while authorities warned people to stay off the roads. Plows were busy trying to keep major highways clear, but state police announced at noon that Interstate 25 just south of the Colorado border was closed in both directions.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a blizzard warning for parts of the state and reported that more than 100 vehicles were stranded on highways in the northeast corner of the state. Forecasters warned of “very hazardous driving conditions” made worse by poor visibility due to blowing snow.

Interstate 70 across Colorado’s Eastern Plains was also closed as residents of that state braced for what some said could be the biggest snowstorm to hit the Denver area in November in years. Some people reported Thursday that they already had more than 14 inches (35.56 centimeters) of snow on the ground.

The National Weather Service Weather forecast center said extensive and widespread disruptions could be expected as the storm moves through New Mexico and Colorado, dropping between 1 and 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow within an hour in some places.

Tonja Goode Ross said she wanted to stay home and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate instead of trying to brave what was the “first real snow” of the season for Corona. This rural part of central New Mexico was transformed into a winter wonderland, its pastures covered in a thick blanket of snow and its tree branches bowing under the weight of fresh powder.

Nearly a foot (30.48 centimeters) of snow had fallen by early morning, and another 2.5 inches (6.35 centimeters) fell within a 2-hour period.

“Moisture is always a blessing here — in whatever form it comes,” she said.

The weather service warned that the storm could bring historic amounts of snow until Friday. More than 4 feet (1.22 meters) was expected in some parts. Snow drifts could top 6 feet (1.83 meters), making some travel impossible — potentially for days, forecasters said.

In Albuquerque, city officials said the cold temperatures and snowfall resulted in about 120 traffic accidents, while firefighters responded to more than 100 calls related to downed power lines and downed trees.