What Is a Backdoor Cold Front and Why They Matter in Santa Fe When most people think of a cold front, they picture colder air sweeping in from the west or northwest, often behind a Pacific storm system. In New Mexico, however, some of our most noticeable and sometimes frustrating weather changes arrive from the opposite direction. These are known as backdoor cold fronts, and they play an outsized role in Santa Fe’s weather. What Exactly Is a Backdoor Cold Front? A backdoor cold front is a shallow surge of cold air that moves west or southwest into New Mexico from the Great Plains, rather than the typical west-to-east progression. These fronts often originate when strong high pressure builds over the central or northern Plains, allowing cold, dense air to spill south and west through gaps in the terrain. Instead of coming “through the front door” from the Pacific, the cold air sneaks in through the “back door” — often sliding down the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and pushing into eastern and central New Mexico. Why New Mexico Is Prone to Backdoor Fronts New Mexico’s geography makes it especially vulnerable to these events: Cold air is dense and shallow, allowing it to hug the ground and flow through mountain passes and river valleys. The Great Plains to our east provide a direct source of continental polar air, especially in fall, winter, and early spring. Once established, high pressure east of the state can continuously feed cooler air westward for days. Because these fronts are shallow, they often undercut warmer air aloft, leading to cloudy, chilly conditions at the surface while temperatures just a few thousand feet above the ground remain relatively mild. How Backdoor Cold Fronts Impact Santa Fe Santa Fe is particularly sensitive to backdoor cold fronts due to its elevation and location near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Here’s what typically happens when one arrives: 1. Sudden Temperature Drops Temperatures in Santa Fe can fall 10–25 degrees in just a few hours, especially during the afternoon or evening when daytime heating is abruptly cut off. A day that starts mild can end feeling wintry. 2. Persistent Cold and Clouds Because the cold air is shallow and trapped against the east slopes of the mountains, it can be slow to scour out. This often leads to: Low clouds Overcast skies Drizzle, mist, or light freezing precipitation in colder months These cloudy, cold conditions can linger for several days, even while areas west of the mountains warm up. 3. Upslope Moisture and Light Precipitation As easterly or northeasterly winds push moist air upslope into the Sangre de Cristos, areas just east of Santa Fe can see: Light rain or drizzle Light snow or freezing drizzle in winter Patchy fog, especially overnight and early morning These events usually don’t produce heavy precipitation in Santa Fe alone, but they can create slick roads and travel issues, especially along I-25 and through mountain passes. When combined with an upper level low or another storm system with great timing, they can lead to a winter storm in Santa Fe. 4. Sharp Microclimate Differences One hallmark of a backdoor front is dramatic temperature contrasts: Santa Fe may be stuck in the 30s or 40s with clouds Albuquerque could be warmer or sunnier and impacted by strong winds Western New Mexico may remain mild and dry This makes forecasting tricky and explains why Santa Fe’s weather can feel out of sync with areas just to our west. When Are Backdoor Cold Fronts Most Common? Backdoor cold fronts can occur any time of year, but they are most frequent and impactful during: Late fall Winter Early spring In summer, weaker versions can sometimes bring brief cooling and upslope thunderstorms, but they are generally less dramatic than their cold-season counterparts. Why They’re So Important for Forecasting Santa Fe Weather For Santa Fe, backdoor cold fronts often determine: Whether temperatures stay mild or turn sharply colder How long clouds linger Whether precipitation falls as rain, snow, or freezing drizzle Overnight low temperatures and frost potential They are also one of the main reasons long-range forecasts for Santa Fe can change quickly, especially when strong high pressure develops east of the Rockies. The Bottom Line Backdoor cold fronts are a defining feature of Northern New Mexico weather, and the eastern half of New Mexico feels their effects more than most places in the state. While they rarely bring major storms, they can dramatically change temperatures, cloud cover, and travel conditions — sometimes very quickly. Understanding these fronts helps explain why Santa Fe can go from sunny and mild to cold and gray in a matter of hours, even when the forecast elsewhere looks quiet.

Top 10 Santa Fe Weather Events of 2025 From record warmth to powerful winds — and even a blast of true Arctic cold — 2025 was a year of weather extremes in Santa Fe. While we didn’t see a classic snowy winter, the atmosphere made up for it in other ways, delivering memorable moments that shaped our year and impacted daily life across northern New Mexico. Each of these events tells a bigger story about the patterns that drove our weather in 2025 — from persistent warmth and dryness to brief but intense departures from the norm. Here’s a look back at the Top 10 Santa Fe Weather Events of 2025, and what they reveal about the year that was. #10 Santa Fe's Coldest Day of Year The coldest temperature of 2025 in Santa Fe occurred on January 21, when the temperature dropped to -6°. This bitter cold was caused by a true Arctic air mass that plunged south out of Canada and spread across much of the central United States. Unlike typical winter cold fronts, this air mass was exceptionally dense and shallow, allowing it to funnel south through the Plains and into New Mexico. Once it reached Santa Fe, clear skies, light winds, and fresh cold air allowed temperatures to drop sharply overnight. This was not just a local event — the cold air covered a large portion of the country, bringing subzero temperatures and dangerous wind chills from the northern Plains all the way into the Southwest. It was one of the coldest and most widespread cold outbreaks of the winter, and a reminder of what true Arctic air can still deliver, even during otherwise mild winters. #9 Drought After coming off of a very dry winter, the spring started with Extreme Drought in Santa Fe. In April, extreme drought extended throughout the northern mountains. However, some much needed and unusual spring rains came in May and June which erased the drought in Eastern New Mexico. Drought conditions still persisted in Santa Fe, but the rains helped tremendously and reduced the fire risk. #8 Monsoon Season Thanks to a wet June and September and near normal rainfall in August, the monsoon season finished with a little more than an inch above normal. The summer certainly had some notable dry stretches, but heavy rains made up for the dry periods. The rainfall was spotty however, as monsoon moisture often can be. Albuquerque was much below normal for the monsoon season. #7 Lack of Snow On average, Santa Fe picks up about 22 inches of snow each winter, and when you look at the entire 2024–2025 season, we actually came fairly close to that number. But the story behind it matters. Nearly 15 inches fell in a single storm in November 2024, doing most of the heavy lifting for the season. After that, snowfall was sparse. When you narrow it down to calendar year 2025, the lack of snow really stands out: • 7.9 inches fell between January and April • 2.1 inches fell in early December That puts total snowfall for 2025 at just 10 inches — well below what we’d typically expect in a normal year. #6 Summer Heat For the third year in a row, Santa Fe made it into the top 4 years for the number of 90-degree days in a summer. In 2025, we hit 90 or above 45 times. All of this occurred June, July, and August. Each month we hit 90-degrees 15 times. #5 100° in Santa Fe Santa Fe reached 100° on July 10, making it just the third time the city has officially hit triple digits—and all three have happened this decade. The all-time record high for Santa Fe is 102°, set on June 14, 2021. The city then hit 100° on July 18, 2023, before doing it again this year. A quick note on the data: you may see slightly different numbers from the National Weather Service. There’s a 40-year gap (1958–1998) in the official record, so for long-term analysis I use a dataset that includes continuous records back to 1874. Since 2021, these temperature observations have been taken at the Santa Fe airport, which is typically warmer than much of the city. That shift in observation location helps explain why Santa Fe didn’t officially record 100° days until recently. So yes—climate change is warming the planet, but elevation and location also play a role. #4 La Niña Development La Niña, the cooling of Pacific waters near the equator and the opposite of El Niño, typically brings warmer temperatures and drier conditions to New Mexico. That’s exactly what we’ve seen so far this winter in Santa Fe. This is a weak La Niña, though, and forecasts still point to a possible shift toward ENSO-neutral conditions late this winter or early spring. If that transition happens in time, we could see a more active second half of the season. That said, it’s now looking likely we’ll finish the winter below our normal ~22 inches of snowfall. #3 Record Warm December We’re not quite done with the month yet, but so far December 2025 is on track to be the warmest December ever recorded in Santa Fe. The La Niña pattern didn’t just bring above-normal temperatures, it delivered 10 days of record-highs at the Santa Fe Airport including the warmest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. #2 Spring Winds New Mexico is no stranger to spring wind, but 2025 took it to another level. Santa Fe experienced an unusually high number of windy days, with wind gusts topping 60 mph on multiple occasions. Those strong winds followed an extremely dry winter, kicking up dust and leading to dangerous dust storms across the state. At least one major event caused a multi-vehicle pileup on I-25 south of Santa Fe, while in southern New Mexico, I-10 near Deming was closed several times due to near-zero visibility and crashes. It was a stark reminder that in New Mexico, wind can be just as impactful, and dangerous, as snow or storms. #1 Record May Rainfall After a very dry winter and an even drier start to spring, early May delivered a remarkable turnaround. From May 4–6, Santa Fe was hit with several days of heavy rain — an unusual event for a time of year that’s typically one of our driest. In just those three days, Santa Fe picked up roughly a quarter of our average annual rainfall. While the airport officially measured 1.65 inches, much of the city saw over 3 inches, especially near the foothills on the east side. The intense rainfall led to flooding in homes and businesses, highlighting how vulnerable Santa Fe can be when heavy rain falls over a short period of time. That May event, combined with another significant rain in June, ultimately pushed 2025’s annual rainfall above normal. Without those two storms, the year would have ended well below average. A powerful reminder that in Santa Fe, just a few well-timed storms can completely change the story of an entire year.

Why Has It Been So Warm in Santa Fe - and Will it Last? If you’ve been enjoying the mild afternoons lately, you’re not imagining things. Santa Fe has been running unseasonably warm for much of December, with daytime highs frequently climbing well above normal and very little in the way of cold air or snow. It’s a pattern that has raised plenty of questions — especially with Christmas just around the corner. So what’s going on, and should we expect a change anytime soon? A Classic La Niña Pattern The warmth we’re experiencing is very typical of a La Niña winter, particularly early in the season. During La Niña, cooler-than-normal waters in the equatorial Pacific tend to shift the jet stream farther north. For New Mexico, that often means: Fewer storms tracking through the Southwest More frequent ridging (high pressure) over the region Warmer daytime temperatures Longer dry stretches between storms In Santa Fe, La Niña winters often start slow, especially when it comes to snowfall. Cold air struggles to push this far south, and storm systems that might normally bring snow either weaken or pass well to our north. Will This Warm Pattern Last Through Christmas? This is the question I’m hearing most right now — and based on current data, yes, the pattern looks likely to hold through Christmas and probably through the end of the year. Forecast models continue to show persistent high pressure nearby, limited storm activity, and temperatures staying above normal for late December. That doesn’t mean we can’t sneak in a brief cool-down or a weak system, but at this point it does mean there’s no clear signal for a sustained cold or snowy pattern before the calendar flips to January. In other words, if you’re hoping for a white Christmas in Santa Fe, the odds aren’t looking great this year. Mild afternoons, chilly nights, and generally dry conditions remain the most likely outcome through the holiday period. Does That Mean the Rest of Winter Is a Bust? Not necessarily — and this is where things get more interesting. While La Niña is currently influencing our weather, longer-range climate guidance continues to suggest that this event may weaken as we move deeper into winter. Several climate models are still pointing toward a transition out of La Niña and into an ENSO-neutral pattern later in the season. That matters because ENSO-neutral winters can open the door to a very different setup for New Mexico. What Happens If We Shift to ENSO Neutral? If La Niña fades and we move into neutral conditions, the jet stream often becomes more variable and less locked into one position. For Santa Fe, that can mean: More frequent storm systems reaching the Southwest Better opportunities for colder air to move south An increased chance for snow-producing systems More active weather during the second half of winter Historically, some of our better snow seasons in northern New Mexico have featured slow starts followed by a more active late winter. February and even early March can end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to seasonal snowfall totals. The Bottom Line The recent warmth is not unusual for a La Niña winter, especially in December Current trends suggest mild and mostly dry weather through Christmas and the end of the year There are credible signs that La Niña may weaken later this winter If we transition to ENSO-neutral conditions, colder and potentially snowier weather could arrive during the second half of winter So while it may feel more like fall or spring than winter right now, winter isn’t over by a long shot (technically, it hasn't even started). Santa Fe winters have a habit of saving some surprises for later — and I’ll be watching closely to see if that late-season pattern shift begins to show up in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.

Updated Storm Track for Weekend Storm November 14, 2025 By Jay Faught The storm system we’ve been watching all week has shifted—but this time, it’s slowing down and taking a more northerly route. That updated path dramatically changes the weekend forecast for Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. A Slower, More Northern Storm Track Earlier projections had the storm sweeping into New Mexico sooner, with a more organized band of moisture. But the latest data shows the system digging more slowly along the West Coast and pushing a bit farther north than originally expected. That shift means Southern California will now take the brunt of the storm, with periods of heavy rain and even flooding concerns in some areas. For us in Santa Fe, however, the impacts will be much more limited. Santa Fe’s Updated Forecast: Light and Late Instead of showers developing Saturday or early Sunday, the latest timing suggests isolated light rain showers won’t arrive until Sunday night. The moisture feed simply doesn’t extend far enough south to bring widespread precipitation to our area. Here’s what that means for your weekend plans: Most of the weekend stays dry—great news if you're planning outdoor activities around town or on the trails. Isolated showers Sunday night may bring brief dampness but nothing widespread or soaking. Snow Levels: Staying High There will be just enough moisture and lift Sunday night into early Monday for a few flakes in the higher terrain: Light snow is possible above 9,000 feet, mainly over the highest peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Accumulations look minimal, and ski areas won’t see major impacts, though the first hints of winter are always exciting. Valleys, including Santa Fe, will stay warm enough for just light rain if anything at all. Bottom Line While this storm is impressive for the West Coast, its slower and more northern track means Santa Fe will see only minor impacts—mostly a few isolated showers Sunday night and perhaps a dusting of snow high in the mountains. A bigger takeaway: this pattern shift still hints at an active atmosphere as we move deeper into November. It’s a good reminder that our storm season is just getting started.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta may look magical, but every launch depends on one thing: the wind.

If you’ve lived in Santa Fe for any length of time, you’ve probably seen what looks like streaks of rain falling from clouds — but then you notice the ground stays bone dry. That phenomenon is called virga, and it’s a regular part of our weather here in northern New Mexico.

With it being so hot out this week, I can't think of a better time to talk about a winter snowfall forecast.

I dove into the data to find out if the frequency of tornadoes are actually increasing in Santa Fe County.

Santa Fe may not be a sprawling metropolis, but its unique topography gives it a surprising range of microclimates.