Roads closed in northeast New Mexico due to winter storm and blizzard conditions

According to the Union county sheriff's office Thursday afternoon, there are numerous motorists stuck on HWY 64/87 near Des Moines, NM. The sheriff's office told ABC7 early Thursday afternoon that they knew of approximately 60 motorists that were stranded near Des Moines, NM.

The sheriff's office has been making rescues all day and are bringing motorists east to Clayton, NM where the impacts of the winter storm are not as significant.

Additional snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet are expected Thursday night through Friday as the storm system moves through the High Plains. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph, are creating near blizzard conditions and snow drifts in excess of 8 feet are likely in rural parts of the county.

Capulin, NM near Des Moines averages 48 inches of snow annually according to the National Weather Service. The forecast calls for them to reach their annual snowfall average before the end of the day Friday.

Our skycam in Des Moines, NM can be found in the weather section of our website .

For more weather related information, you can download our to stay weather aware even on the go in the panhandle spirit.