Expires:201202171000;Remove:201202171000;744947 FPUS74 KEPZ 170634 NOWEPZ SHORT TERM FORECAST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 1134 PM MST THU FEB 16 2012 NMZ022>025-030>032-TXZ055-056-171000- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/LOWER GILA REGION-SIERRA COUNTY LAKES REGION- TULAROSA BASIN/SOUTHERN DESERT-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS- SOUTHWEST DESERT/BOOTHEEL-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN- SOUTHERN DESERT-EL PASO-HUDSPETH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SILVER CITY...TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES... ALAMOGORDO...MESCALERO...CLOUDCROFT...TIMBERON...LORDSBURG... DEMING...LAS CRUCES...EL PASO...SIERRA BLANCA...DELL CITY 1134 PM MST THU FEB 16 2012 .NOW... AT 1130 PM MST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND TRACK SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AS WELL AS FAR WEST TEXAS. AS THE UPPER STORM RESPONSIBLE MOVES CLOSER OVERNIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE AND EXPAND ACROSS THE REGION. RAINFALL HAS BEEN MOSTLY LIGHT WITH LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF AN INCH IN MOST PLACES...BUT ISOLATED SPOTS HAVE RECEIVED OVER .40 INCHES OF RAIN ALREADY. SNOW LEVELS ARE STILL WELL ABOVE 7000 FT ELEVATION BUT WILL DROP TO 6000 FT BY MORNING. SOME AREAS WILL SEE ISOLATED WEAK THUNDERSTORMS WHICH WILL PRODUCE GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS AND BRIEF MODERATE RAIN OR ICE PELLETS. AREA MOUNTAINS WILL RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OVER THE NEXT 24 HRS. WET ROADS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE LOWLANDS WITH ICY ROAD CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS. THUS DIFFICULT TRAVEL IS LIKELY OVERNIGHT AND FRIDAY. WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE POSTED FOR THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AND THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF NEW MEXICO. $$ BIRD