Winter weather causes snowy conditions in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – KOB 4 crews followed the winter storm moving through New Mexico.

The traffic near western I-40 near Gallup was crawling just past Grants. Police blocked off a right lane to help a semi-truck driver who went off the road.

Shortly after that KOB 4 crews experienced near whiteout conditions, heavy fog, and low visibility, but snow was not sticking to the roads.

We spoke to several drivers at a gas station in Gallup who traveled from Grants, Church Rock, Fort Defiance and Crystal.

They all said they had a rough time getting here.

“On the way from Grant’s it was really, really slick and the state, New Mexico DOT definitely did a good job of cleaning things up pretty quick. They had, you know, snow trucks and sand trucks out there right away,” said Gibert Reyes, who was traveling from Grants. “Made it a two-hour trip instead of an hour trip.”

Crews with the Department of Transportation pulled an all-nighter clearing western I-40, then surface streets.

Shawna Jones said she spent two hours digging her car out of the snow in Crystal before she could even get on the road.

“So driving out here today was for my mother’s hospital appointment. And yeah, we had to dig out of, I think a foot of snow in our driveway,” said Jones. “I made sure we got road prepared, we got water, we got blankets, we got extra socks and things like that, hands-got really, really thick gloves. So if anything, you know, we just pray that we get back safely.”

The state Department of Transportation had similar advice for drivers when we spoke with the District 6 representative Monday, saying to check your tires and fill your tank before getting on the roads.

She also told us crews worked overnight and through the morning to clear roads between Grants and Gallup, and they’re prepared to do the same tonight.

“As it’s needed I mean, you know they’ll be available and on call. So you know if more snow starts to fall, they’ll be called out and the snow plows will be sent out,” said Delane Baros with NMDOT District 6. 

If the snow does pick back up, NMDOT says to drive slow especially over bridges, and to give yourself extra time to get to where you need to go.