Snow in New Mexico

How much water is held in the snow across New Mexico, from NOAA's SNODAS snow model, which fills in between the few places snow is measured. The figure is the depth of water the snow would make if it melted, averaged over the whole state, bare ground included. Latest model day November 3, 2026.

A little snowon November 3, 2026. On the highest peaks: 1,088 square miles with at least 0.4 in of water in the snow, up to 2.3 in at the snowiest spot. Averaged over the whole state that is 0.01 in. It is out of snow season, so there is no median to compare with.
0.3 inon January 26, 2026, the last winter's snowiest day; 1,731,032 acre-feet
48%of the usual snowiest day of 2004–2025 (0.6 in)

The 2025–26 winter's snow peaked on Jan 26 at 0.3 in, 48% of the usual peak: 21st highest of 23 winters since 2004.

This winter and the winters since 2004

The 2025–26 winter against other years

Average snow water equivalent over the state, against the middle (dashed) and spread of the same dates in 2004–2025 (shaded: the middle half and the 10th to 90th percentile).

  • Median of past years
  • This winter
  • 10th–90th percentile of past years
  • Middle half of past years
00.20.40.6inNov2026MarMayJulSep

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The highest day of each winter, since 2003–04

Average snow water equivalent over the state on the winter's snowiest day. The winter shown at left is in orange.

00.511.5in20042007201020132016201920222025

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The snow on each date

WhenSnow water equivalentAcre-feetCompared with the median for that date
NowNovember 3, 20260.01 in58,707out of snow season
7 days agoOctober 27, 20260 in20,784out of snow season
30 days agoOctober 4, 20260 in35out of snow season
90 days agoAugust 5, 20260 in0out of snow season
6 months agoMay 7, 20260.02 in122,521out of snow season
1 year agoNovember 3, 20250 in0out of snow season

SNODAS is a model, not a measurement: it blends satellite, aircraft and ground observations with a snow model, and most of the state has no snow gauge. The median for a date is that of the winters 2004–2025, and a percent is given only in the months when the median is more than a trace. Against the SNOTEL snow stations in New Mexico, which sit high in the mountains, season averages agree (correlation 0.89 over 23 winters) but a single day's percent can differ by about 21 points, so treat it as a guide, not a figure to the point.

Snowpack by day since 2003 (CSV). Source: National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. 2004. Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) Data Products at NSIDC, Version 1. NSIDC, https://doi.org/10.7265/N5TB14TC, data accessed November 4, 2026.