Snow Squall Warning Issued for McKinley, Cibola, and San Juan Counties in New Mexico
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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A dangerous snow squall is moving through northwestern New Mexico, bringing heavy snow and 45 mph winds to Gallup and Interstate 40 through 9:00 AM MST.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Snow Squall Warning
- Affected area
- Northwestern New Mexico
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Albuquerque
Winter notices differ by expected impact and timing. The original notice carries the forecast window and any travel guidance for the named area.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northwestern New Mexico.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Snow Squall Warning for northwestern and west-central New Mexico. This alert is effective immediately as a dangerous snow squall moves through the region.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions in New Mexico:
- McKinley County
- South Central San Juan County
- Northwestern Cibola County
Specific locations impacted include Gallup, Zuni Pueblo, Crownpoint, Thoreau, Coolidge, Standing Rock, Fort Wingate, Church Rock, McGaffey, and Brimhall Nizhoni. This warning specifically includes Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 2 and 66.
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers in the warning area are advised to Slow Down! Rapid changes in visibility and road conditions are expected. Be alert for sudden whiteout conditions. The National Weather Service recommends avoiding travel in the affected area until the squall passes, as travel will become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes.
Expected Conditions
At 8:25 AM MST, radar indicated a dangerous snow squall along a line extending from Brimhall Nizhoni to 12 miles northwest of Zuni Pueblo, moving southeast at 50 mph. Hazards include:
- Intense bursts of heavy snow
- Gusty winds exceeding 45 mph
- Blowing snow
- Visibility dropping rapidly to less than one-quarter mile
High winds may also knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.
Timeline
The Snow Squall Warning is in effect from 8:25 AM MST until 9:00 AM MST on February 20, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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