Winter Graupel and Hail Close I-40 West of Albuquerque

On the evening of Jan. 9, accumulating graupel and scattered hail forced authorities to close both directions of Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque at mile marker 140, creating major travel disruptions across the Albuquerque metro area and parts of Sandoval County. The closure came after a sequence of fast-moving winter precipitation that produced a coating of graupel along I-40 near Unser Boulevard and visible hail in multiple parts of the city.

The first reports of a snowfall band moving east along I-40 toward Albuquerque and Santa Fe appeared around 5:25 p.m. By 5:37 p.m., officials noted accumulating water-covered snow pellets were impacting Bernalillo County and southern Sandoval County and were expected to affect neighborhoods including southern Rio Rancho, Corrales, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, South Valley, Paradise Hills, North Valley, Sandia Pueblo and Alameda. At 5:50 p.m. motorists reported graupel at Unser Boulevard and hail falling across Albuquerque. By 6:42 p.m. both directions of I-40 were closed at mile marker 140 as travel conditions became slick.

The immediate local impact included halted evening commutes, delayed freight on a key east-west corridor and increased hazard for side streets that received sudden accumulation of graupel. Interstate 40 is a major artery for regional commerce; closures on this route can ripple through deliveries, supply chains, and time-sensitive services that serve residents and businesses in Sandoval County and the broader metro area. While the closure was relatively short-lived, the event illustrates how brief, intense winter precipitation can produce outsized economic and mobility costs for suburban and exurban communities.

From a policy and infrastructure perspective, the incident underscores the importance of rapid road treatment, real-time traffic coordination and clear communication from transportation agencies during sudden winter events. Local road crews and emergency services face increased resource pressure during short-duration storms that straddle county lines. Over the long term, officials and planners may need to factor more frequent sudden-precipitation events into winter maintenance budgets and operational plans to reduce repeated closures and their economic fallout.

Residents and businesses in Sandoval County should account for episodic winter hazards when planning travel and deliveries. For communities along the I-40 corridor, the Jan. 9 graupel event is a reminder that even marginal storms can produce hazardous conditions and measurable disruptions to daily life and local commerce.