Massive Snowstorm Prompts State of Emergency Declaration in New Mexico

DISASTER DIARY – DECEMBER 28, 2015

Up to 20 inches of snow with drifts of 10 feet hit SE part of NM

Gov. Martinez has declared a state of emergency in New Mexico, mobilizing the National Guard to rescue hundreds of stranded drivers.

Officials have closed I-40 indefinitely, with stretches of the interstate also closed in Texas and Oklahoma, said local reports.

“This is a dire situation, especially the eastern half of the state where the storm has hit hardest and continues to dump snow,” said Martinez . “We monitored the situation throughout the night and activated the National Guard to assist stranded motorists.

Martinez has described the extreme weather events as a “serious situation” and asked New Mexicans to stay off the roads until the conditions improve.

“Someone may look out the winter in Albuquerque or Santa Fe and say, ‘It doesn’t seem that bad,’ but it is extremely bad,” Martinez said. “I cannot express how serious the situation is. The southeastern part of the state has 16 to 20 inches of snow with snow drifts of 8 to 10 feet.”

Missouri Declares a State of Emergency

Gov. Nixon has declared a state of emergency in after rain, flooding and flash flooding across Missouri severely impacted the state. Nixon has warned that residents avoid water-covered roads and avoid travel at all if possible.

Meanwhile, St. Louis region became the wettest year ever at the weekend with 58.14 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The previous record of 57.96 inches was set in 2008. More rain is expected across the region.

Weekend flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois, while the death toll across southern and central US climbed to about 50 after days of severe weather.

Disaster in Texas

Powerful tornadoes killed at least 11 people in Greater Dallas Area, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and uprooting thousands of trees.

Gov. Abbott declared a state of emergency for Collin, Dallas, Ellis and Rockwall counties, and declared concurrently the four counties as disaster areas.

NWS has issued tornado warnings for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, also warning that a “historic blizzard” could hit Texas and Oklahoma with about 16 inches of snow.

States of Emergency in Oklahoma 

Oklahoma has also declared a states of emergency. The state of emergency proclaimed by Gov. Fallin on Nov. 29 will remain in effect, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said.

The following forecast is also issued by NWS:

Major Storm System Bringing Ice, Heavy Snow, Severe Weather, and Flooding from The Gulf Coast to New England

A major storm system will continue to bring a plethora of impacts including heavy snowfall, ice, heavy rainfall, flooding, and severe weather today and tonight. The low pressure system will move toward the Great Lakes region on Tuesday shifting the winter storm threat into Upstate New York and New England.

Meanwhile, the high temperatures are expected to continue in eastern US, with Washington DC reaching 70ºF (21ºC) on Sunday.