Last week started out with a continuation of the storm system that brought some snow into the state, as we received an additional ½” of the white stuff overnight on Monday into Tuesday morning, with a lingering trace reported on Wednesday. Unfortunately, this was not a wet system, once again, and the SWE was only 0.04”. With temperatures staying on the cold side for most of the week, traces of snow remained until late in the week. Another trace of snow was received from a storm coupled with an arctic air front that pushed into the state on Saturday, however this was more of a wind event at this location with single-digit wind chills. For the week, we just received the 0.04” of SWE from the Monday/Tuesday storm system. So far for January, we have received just the 0.05” of precipitation, against the NOAA normal of 0.56”, which is just 9% of normal. For the 2025 WYTD, this station is at 1.86” against the NOAA normal of 3.84”, which is just 48% of normal. Overall, temperatures averaged 5.1 degrees below average for the last week, as temperatures were as much as 13.2 degrees below normal by Sunday, with a rare rebound on Friday to 2.1 degrees above normal. Soil moisture only slightly improved with the snow that fell and the slow melt off that followed. Overall conditions have not improved and continue to decline as we fall further behind our seasonal averages. Forecasts call for the bitter cold weather to continue through the next couple of days as a second arctic air system passes through the state, bringing with it below zero wind chills. Conditions will slowly warm up going into the weekend, after the storm system exits, with another system arriving on Sunday, bringing the potential of more snow. Short-term and long-term we are still in the moderately dry category, but continue to head towards the severely dry category, as what little moisture we have received since the beginning of November is having a significant impact on not just the landscape but on snowpack values and ski resorts. Energy usage was about the same as the previous week, despite the colder weather. Air quality was in the moderate range for all last week with the primary pollutants being fine and coarse particulate matter. A fugitive dust reminder was issued for the weekend due to the strong arctic air mass and accompanying winds that would be affecting the metro area. Juniper pollen was the primary allergy concern on the east side once again at low to moderate levels. Fire danger is still at the moderate level for all Ranger Districts of the Cibola National Forest. Albuquerque open space areas currently are still open and are under stage 2 fire restrictions in the bosque areas. East Mountain Open Space areas are open and are also under stage 2 fire restrictions as well. Most plants are in their dormant stage for the winter. Xeriscape and other plants have previously received some supplemental watering due to the lack of long-term precipitation. Trees have also previously received some supplemental watering due to the lack of moisture and previously warm temperatures. Both are starting to be affected by the lack of precipitation and the inability to provide water to them due to the frigid temperatures. Bird activity has still been normal over the last week. Squirrels have also been active scavenging for food in the freezing weather, and raiding neighbor’s bird feeders. Rio Grande river flow at the Alameda bridge is at 611 cf/s today, which is normal for this day of the year. The flow has been been steadily decreasing from about 950 cf/s to today’s reading. Turbidity is at 15.5 FNU today. Turbidity has been mostly stable around the 20 FNU mark this week. SNOTEL values for the Rio Grande Headwaters and Upper Rio Grande Basin are at 76% and 39% respectively of median today. The San Juan River Basin and the Rio Chama are at 76% and 42% respectively of median today. The Jemez River Basin is at 30% of median today. Angel Fire Ski Area is the only northern ski area reporting new snow over the last 72 hours, with a report of 1” received. Sandra Peak Ski Area is still reporting one trail open with a 6” base. Check resort websites for conditions and trail access as lack of adequate snow has limited the number of open trails and affected conditions, even at resorts with snow making capabilities. Updated aquifer monitoring data for the Middle Rio Grande Basin was unavailable this week.