November 6 – As the seasons change and snow hits the hills, deep and recurring fears fill the mind of Adriana Velazquez as she searches for her 29-year-old son who is homeless in Santa Fe.
“It’s scary and frustrating to see my son on the street with no blankets and no food,” Velazquez said Wednesday outside the Interfaith Community Shelter in Pete’s Place.
A biting cold had set in Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by gusts that descended in oblique patterns across Cerrillos Road. The homeless shelter’s power suddenly went out around 3:30 p.m. Sometimes Velazquez can locate her son somewhere on the street. Other times she is unsuccessful.
A major winter storm front with the potential to bring snowstorms to the region was poised to push into Northern New Mexico Wednesday evening, marking the first serious storm of this winter after a mild fall. Moderate snow fell for most of the afternoon, which served as a prelude of sorts.
Public Service Company of New Mexico reported a number of power outages in Santa Fe on Wednesday around 5:30 p.m., including along the Cerrillos Road corridor. The outage map indicated that more than 6,000 customers were affected at that time.
Brian Guyer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said forecasters predict 12 to 16 inches of snow in the northern and eastern parts of the capital’s foothills Wednesday evening through Friday, while Santa Fe will see 8 to 16 inches. snow is expected. metro area.
Meteorologists warned of the possibility of local road and school closures through Friday, as well as possible power outages. Temperatures are expected to be around 20 degrees to 30 degrees from Wednesday night to Friday.
“This is the real deal. This is a real snowstorm,” said Brian Williams, emergency management director for the city of Santa Fe. “…What we expect tonight is more snow, possibly some stronger winds.”
The arrival of the massive low-pressure front expected to hover over the region follows a long summer that warmed Northern New Mexico for much of the fall. Modest snowfall and rough weather earlier this week marked an abrupt seasonal transition that took some locals by surprise.
“It’s from tonight until Friday morning. It takes a long time [storm]Guyer said. “But because the wind is blowing tonight and tomorrow, that could be a little more important because visibility will be reduced by the snow blowing around.”
Forecasters are urging locals to plan for power outages should they occur. Local homeless shelters, in partnership with the city, will work to get people the services they need Wednesday evening.
Pete’s Place had already declared a “Code Blue” at 1 p.m., as a larger number of unhoused people flocked to the shelter — some inside, some outside. Pete’s Place has approximately 85 beds, but staff will take as many people as needed tonight, although some individuals are on a list of those banned from the shelter due to past behavior.
“Even now, we’re preparing. We’re throwing mats on the ground, which is what we have to do. The goal is to make sure people don’t freeze out there,” said Korina Lopez, executive director of the Interfaith Community Shelter at Pete’s. Place.
The city of Santa Fe also activated “Code Blue” on Wednesday afternoon, meaning the city’s Alternative Response Unit began distributing warm clothing kits while also offering rides to local homeless shelters for those caught out by the weather.
A “Code Blue” status would include increased relief efforts and more shelters for those who are “unsheltered during dangerously low temperatures and severe weather conditions such as heavy snow,” according to a city news release.
Velazquez brought blankets for some members of the city’s unhoused population gathered outside under a heated canopy. A man named Anis, who declined to give his full name, said he has been homeless in Santa Fe for several years and has been battling pneumonia for three consecutive winters.
Brittney Johnson described a wooded area within the city limits where she sometimes sleeps under a tarp, even in winter.
“Some of us are just exhausted and moving, moving, moving to stay warm, but if you don’t have a blanket, if you have nowhere to go and you have no energy left, you run the risk of death or frostbite,” Johnson said.
Noting that police are breaking up encampments and that weather can disrupt tents and structures, Johnson said on cold winter nights, “You’re usually a burrito. [wrapped] in a tarpaulin,” describes a setup with sleeping bags and tarps.
William Locke, 76, smoked outside the doors of Pete’s Place and watched the snow continue to fall.
“The older you get, the harder it is. There’s nothing easy about it,” Locke said. ‘You’re cold. Common sense tells you that. You’re outside and you’re cold.’
The Alternative Response Unit – organized within the Fire Service – was launched in May 2021 as a joint effort between the fire, police and community services, with the aim of providing an appropriate level of response to certain emergency calls and better serving people in need of services such as medical and behavioral health care, housing assistance and addiction treatment.
“We are also preparing. As of today, I have Code Blue kits that are being put together with my ambulance department. If they see someone, they can just hand them out,” said city fire chief Brian Moya.
County officials are also preparing for the storm.
“Santa Fe County highway crews are prepared to begin plowing and applying salt as soon as snow begins to accumulate on roadways,” county spokesperson Olivia Romo wrote in an email. “Currently, temperatures are not low enough for snow to linger. County highway crews will work until 10 p.m., and additional shifts will begin at 4 a.m. Thursday to ensure safe travel conditions for commuters, staff and visitors.”
The province is urging residents of Hyde Park Estates, Rio and Medio and Chupadero to be extra cautious about the storm. In the southern and eastern parts of the county, communities such as Stanley, Glorieta and Edgewood could experience snowstorms as winds increase, Romo wrote in the email.
“Residents should drive slowly and carefully tonight as they head home,” Romo’s email said.
