UPDATE 1/1 10:45a
Authorities have identified two men in Roswell found dead in the aftermath of last weekend's snow storm.
The Roswell Daily Record reports that Chaves County Sheriff Britt Snyder says 64-year-old John Spain died while shoveling snow.
Snyder says Spain was working Sunday when he apparently suffered a heart attack.
Roswell police say a mobile home park employee found 60-year-old Ronald Schneider buried in snow Tuesday.
Police spokesman Todd Wildermuth says the worker dug Schneider out and called 911.
Schneider was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wildermuth says investigators are trying to determine what led to his death and that Schneider died between Saturday and Tuesday.
The storm slammed New Mexico, dropping 18 inches of snow just in parts of Roswell.
UPDATE 12/31 9:50a
City services in Hobbs are slowly returning in the aftermath of a winter storm that damaged a number of businesses and created hazardous roads.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports officials said Thursday that Hobbs Express will resume service from noon to 4 p.m. All other non-emergency services also will operate under the same hours.
The New Mexico National Guard is helping to clear icy and snow-covered main roads. In addition, Hobbs has purchased plow attachments for four-wheel drive vehicles to help with snow removal.
Hobbs was one of many southeastern New Mexico cities hit hard by the record storm this weekend.
UPDATE 12/31 9:15a
A third business in Roswell has had its roof collapsed thanks to a record snow storm.
The Roswell Daily Record reports that Tascosa Office Machines employees discovered Tuesday the roof's caved-in.
Roswell Honda and the Shamrock also saw their roofs collapsed after a storm dumped more than a foot of snow in the area.
Tascosa Office Machines owner J.P. King says employees don't know exactly when the roof collapsed but with snow starting to melt on Wednesday, the floor was filling up with water.
Roswell officials said crews still are working to remove snow from roads following the Sunday storm.
UPDATE 12/30 1:30p
Roswell police are asking parents to prevent children from making "igloos" next to streets amid a cleanup from a massive snow storm.
Authorities in the southeastern New Mexico city said Wednesday police had received reports about the rogue makeshift snow houses and warned that children could get trapped.
Crews are plowing through Roswell's icy and snow-covered roads following a record storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in the region.
Roswell police are asking parents to let children play in backyards.
UPDATE 12/30 12:45p
Stores in a southeastern New Mexico city hit by heavy snowfall are running out of inventory.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports that grocery stores in Hobbs are running low on products like milk and bread.
Albertson's store director Jubel Patterson says his store ran out of milk on Saturday and then bread, but received an "emergency shipment" this week. He says the milk didn't last but 30 minutes on shelves.
Cities, especially in southeastern New Mexico, have needed three days to clear roads and highways following a weekend storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas. Delivery trucks have faced difficulty getting into hard hit cities like Hobbs and Roswell to help stores restock.
UPDATE 12/30 11:55a
Ranchers and dairy farmers in eastern New Mexico are taking stock of their animals in the wake of a record-setting storm that brought snow, icy and wind to much of the state in recent days.
The head of the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association, Caren Cowan, says there's no way to tell how many cattle might be stranded.
Cowan says the priority in the agriculture community has been getting roads in eastern New Mexico back open so people can get to their livestock.
While 10-foot snow drifts have been reported in spots from Clovis south to Carlsbad, Cowan says strong winds have helped to clear some pastures.
Because Gov. Susana Martinez declared an emergency, farmers and ranchers will be able to apply for assistance through various federal Farm Service Agency programs.
UPDATE 12/29 12:15p
Officials at an underground nuclear waste repository in southeastern New Mexico say they have activated their emergency operations center in response to the severe weather that has hit much of New Mexico.
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant has been closed for the past couple of days due to the inclement weather.
The emergency operations center was activated Tuesday on a limited basis so resources could be coordinated to clear roads in the area so employees could return to work.
Officials say the roads were snow packed and icy.
UPDATE 12/29 11:15a
A tractor driver who saved two newspaper carriers buried in 12 feet of snow says he made more than a dozen rescues on Sunday.
Ty Gonser of Ray Lee Equipment in Clovis told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was saving motorists and rescue workers trying to save motorists during the snow storm.
Gonser says he was worried about getting stranded himself but kept moving because he knew lives were at stake.
The 31-year-old Gonser recused Jimmy and Betty Anderson on Sunday after the couple were trapped in the snow for nearly 20 hours. He says he almost stopped looking for the couple until he spotted a "weird looking mound."
UPDATE 12/29 10:30a
Four newspapers in southeastern New Mexico did not publish Tuesday editions because of a snow storm that made traveling almost impossible.
The Clovis News Journal and Portales News-Tribune halted publication after two newspaper carriers were buried in 12 feet of snow for nearly 20 hours.
The Roswell Daily Record and the Hobbs News-Sun also did not publish print editions due to road conditions.
All four publications posted stories online.
Cities, especially in southeastern New Mexico, struggled to clear roads and highways on Monday following a weekend storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas.
The Hobbs News-Sun said Tuesday if road conditions don't improve the paper also will be online only on Wednesday.
UPDATE 12/29 10a
A farmer says he spotted trapped newspaper carriers buried in 12 feet of snow by noticing a blue color in the mound.
Ty Gonser of Ray Lee Equipment in Clovis said Monday when he approached the snow mound he heard Jimmy Anderson beating on the windshield. The blue color was likely caused by air pockets.
Gonser recused Anderson and his wife, Betty, on Sunday after the couple were trapped in the snow for nearly 20 hours.
He pulled the couple out of the snow with a tractor.
Jimmy and Betty Anderson work for Clovis Media Inc., which publishes the Clovis News Journal and Portales News-Tribune.
Clovis Media Inc. Publisher Rob Langrell halted delivery services after the pair got stranded.
UPDATE 12/29 9:45a
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has toured areas of the state devastated by a record storm that closed roads and caused a number of accidents.
Martinez spokesman Chris Sanchez said Tuesday the governor surveyed with the National Guard the damage in parts of eastern New Mexico. Sanchez says Martinez rode in a Black Hawk helicopter and spotted stranded motorists before calling for help.
Cities, especially in southeastern New Mexico, struggled to clear roads and highways on Monday following a weekend storm that caused traffic accidents and stranded motorists.
Sanchez says the National Guard will return to the region on Tuesday to survey further damage.
UPDATE 12/29 9:30a
Southeastern New Mexico cities still are working to clear icy roads two days after a storm dumped record snow.
Roswell officials are using private companies Tuesday to remove snow and ice throughout the city while Chaves County Sheriff's deputies have removed their trapped vehicles.
The city of Hobbs announced that it would reopen city offices on Tuesday at noon and the city of Clovis also has reopened.
The area is expected to see light snow with freezing temperatures.
UPDATE 12/29 7:25a
Carlsbad Caverns National Park has announced a two-hour delay in opening the park on Tuesday because crews are still clearing roads of snow and ice from the big weekend storm.
Officials say they plan to open the park at 10 a.m.
The park was closed Monday due to hazardous road conditions in the Carlsbad area of southeastern New Mexico.
UPDATE 12/29 6:40a
Crews continue to clear highways closed because of the major storm that hitNew Mexico over the weekend, dropping over a foot of snow in some areas.
Interstate 40 between Albuquerque and the Texas line east of Tucumcari was reopened late Monday morning, and U.S. 285 between Interstate 40 at Clines Corners to the Texas line south of Carlsbad was reopened later Monday.
The state Department of Transportation had shifted crews and equipment from northern New Mexico to help clear U.S. 285, a major north-south route in southeastern New Mexico.
The department urges motorists to continue using extreme caution and to avoid non-essential travel. Several stranded motorists were rescued Monday.
UPDATE 12/29 3:00a
A second storm system is set to hit New Mexico after the state saw a storm that brought more than a foot of snow in some areas.
The National Weather Service said the new system will strike New Mexico on Tuesday but should only bring around 1 to 2 inches of snow. However, temperatures will remain below freezing and that will keep roads icy and hazardous for traveling.
Cities, especially in southeastern New Mexico, struggled to clear roads and highways on Monday following a weekend storm that caused traffic accidents and stranded motorists.
UPDATE 12/28 11:45a
Interstate 40 eastbound in Albuquerque has reopened following an hours-long closure due to a snowstorm.
Authorities reopened on Monday the highway, which sits parallel to the historic Route 66, after crew salted it and removed snow.
Albuquerque police, however, cautioned motorists to be patient as the highway would be fully reopened in stages.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation says Interstate 40 between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari reopened to travelers Monday morning. Motorists still were urged to use caution when driving.
Meanwhile, southeastern New Mexico cities like Roswell and Clovis were asking motorists to stay off streets because authorities didn't have enough staff to help stranded travelers amid snow cleanup.
UPDATE 12/28 10:45a
The city of Roswell is urging motorists to stay off its roads as National Guard and emergency responders are reporting vehicles stuck on ice-packed streets.
Roswell officials said Monday that all major highways around the city remain closed. Authorities say travel inside the city limits is strongly discouraged and the city doesn't have enough resources to rescue stranded motorists.
Clovis Capt. Roman Romero says Clovis officials will begin Monday to remove abandoned vehicles stranded from Sunday's snow storm as authorities work to clean streets.
The National Weather Service says some cities in southeastern New Mexico likely broke one-day snowfall records this weekend.
UPDATE 12/28 10:30a
The National Weather Service says some cities in southeastern New Mexico likely broke one-day snowfall records this weekend.
The agency said Monday that Roswell reportedly saw 13 to 15 inches of snow on Sunday. Its previous one-day snowfall record was 11.5 inches set in February 1988.
Meanwhile, Clovis saw between 10 to 13 inches. The city's record is 12 inches reached in February 1956.
The winter storm, which began Christmas Day, forced the closure of nearly 450 miles of Interstate 40 and U.S. 285 in New Mexico for 12 hours or more.
UPDATE 12/28 10:15a
Authorities in southeastern New Mexico are urging motorists to stay off roads and highways a day after the area saw as much as 8-foot snow drifts.
Chaves County Sheriff Britt Snyder said Monday the area likely received 20 inches of snow and freezing temperatures has kept most of it on roads.
Snyder says several of the office's vehicles got stuck in the snow, including a humvee. He says deputies had to abandon the vehicles overnight.
The National Weather Service say temperatures will remain at or below freeze in most parts of New Mexico on Monday.
UPDATE 12/28 9:30a
Two southeastern New Mexico papers won't publish regular Tuesday editions after a snow storm trapped two newspaper carriers for nearly 20 hours.
The Clovis News Journal reports (http://goo.gl/43l4aK) Clovis Media Inc. Publisher Rob Langrell halted delivery services after Jimmy and Betty Anderson were stranded late Saturday.
Clovis Media says the Andersons were buried in a seven-foot drift in a white Ford Fusion. The company says Betty Anderson sent Facebook messages to friends throughout the scare, and officials began trying to reach them Saturday night.
Curry County Emergency Management Coordinator Dan Heerding says they were finally rescued by an area farmer with a tractor around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Langrell says the Clovis News Journal and Portales News-Tribune will not print and deliver a Tuesday paper but will update its websites and Facebook pages.
UPDATE 12/28 9:15a
Eastbound Interstate 40 is being reopened in eastern New Mexico after an extended closure due to the major storm that pummeled parts of the state.
The Department of Transportation says the freeway initially reopened Monday morning in Santa Rosa and Tucumcari. The next stages being reopened by late Monday morning are in Moriarity and Albuquerque.
The department says it's reopening the freeway in stages to permit traffic to move "in an orderly manner."
The department also says its crews worked throughout the night to clear the highway, which was closed in eastern New Mexico over the weekend.
Elsewhere, some highways remain icy and snow-packed and the department is advising drivers to use cautions.
Crews are being sent from northern New Mexico to the Roswell area to help reopen U.S. 285.
UPDATE 12/28 8:50a
An electric utility that serves parts of southeastern New Mexico says nearly 3,100 customers in the Clovis area remain without power as of Monday morning because of storm-related outages.
Amarallo, Texas-based Xcel Energy says its resources in the Clovis area have been limited to those already in the area because storm-related highway closings meant outside help couldn't reach the area.
However, spokesman Wes Reeves says the clearing weather should allow "significant help" to reach the area Monday to restore power to customers.
Reeves says some customers have been without power since Saturday and that the company's staff in Clovis have been working without very little rest to restore power.
He says drifting snow has made it difficult to reach customers.
UPDATE 12/28 8:30a
Businesses and government offices in New Mexico are expected to remain closed or open on delay after a winter storm dumped heavy snow.
Doctors' and health offices throughout southeastern New Mexico from Roswell to Carlsbad were closed Monday due to hazardous driving conditions.
Non-essential employees of Bernalillo County, the state's largest, were placed on two-hour delay.
Meanwhile, parks like the White Sands National Monument were closed.
Some areas near Roswell reported snow drifts as high as 10 feet and wind gusts around 60 miles per hour on Sunday.
Interstate 40 eastbound remains closed at I-25 to the Texas border.
UPDATE 12/28 7:30a
Forecasters say no hazardous weather is expected in New Mexico on Monday and the next several days following a winter storm that dropped heavy snow in many areas.
Preliminary snowfall amounts reported by the National Weather Service for 39 hours that ended early Monday morning include 1 to 5 inches of snow in Albuquerque, 10 inches in Socorro, 15 to 20 inches in Roswell, 10 inches in Clovis and 21 inches in Ruidoso.
UPDATE 12/28 6:45a
Eastbound Interstate 40 between Albuquerque and the Texas line is among numerous highways that remain closed Monday morning in eastern New Mexicodue to the winter storm that passed through the state over the weekend.
Most of the highway closures centered on southeastern New Mexico as of Monday morning. Some highways that were closed in northeastern New Mexico over the weekend are now open, with fair driving conditions reported.
Conditions on I-40 improved Sunday but the eastbound route remained closed due to conditions in the Texas Panhandle.
Albuquerque police report driving hazards in some parts of the city due to patches of ice and snow. Police advise residents to allot extra time to travel.
UPDATE 12/27 12:30p
Gov. Susana Martinez has declared a State of Emergency following a powerful winter storm that continues to bring snow and strong winds to New Mexico.
Martinez said in a statement Sunday that all residents must stay off the roads until conditions improve.
The National Weather Service says some areas of the state have received as much as 21 inches of snow in the last 24 hours.
Weather conditions have led to hundreds of traffic accidents on icy roads and major freeways shutting down.
Meteorologists say the state's eastern region is getting hit particularly hard and could get between 6 and 8 inches by tonight.
UPDATE 12/27 10:48a
New Mexico residents are dealing with the fallout Sunday of a snowstorm that crippled parts of the state, leaving a trail of traffic accidents and shutdowns.
In Albuquerque, police say officers responded to 178 weather-related accidents by 9:30 p.m. Saturday. About 58 involved injuries.
A stretch of Interstate 40 leading to the Texas border remains closed because of hazardous driving conditions.
Police spokesman Fred Duran says hotels along I-40 had to turn people away.
The National Weather Service says it is expecting historic snowfall totals.
According to meteorologists, metropolitan Albuquerque received as much as 6 inches of snow in the last 24 hours.
Eastern portions of the state were hit especially hard.
Meteorologists say some areas saw 5 to 12-foot snow drifts and winds up to 70 mph.
12/26
Epic Snowstorm Cripples Parts Of New Mexico – The Associated Press
New Mexico residents are dealing with the fallout Sunday of a snowstorm that crippled parts of the state, leaving a trail of traffic accidents and shutdowns.
In Albuquerque, police say officers responded to 178 weather-related accidents by 9:30 p.m. Saturday. About 58 involved injuries.
A stretch of Interstate 40 leading to the Texas border remains closed because of hazardous driving conditions.
Police spokesman Fred Duran says hotels along I-40 had to turn people away.
The National Weather Service says it is expecting historic snowfall totals.
According to meteorologists, metropolitan Albuquerque received as much as 6 inches of snow in the last 24 hours.
Eastern portions of the state were hit especially hard.
Meteorologists say some areas saw 5 to 12-foot snow drifts and winds up to 70 mph.
12/26
Snow has fallen around parts of New Mexico.
A flurry of snow began to blanket Albuquerque, Santa Fe and other cities yesterday afternoon amid warnings of a record-setting blizzard being on the horizon.
The National Weather Service says heavy snow and strong winds are expected to bring drifts of 3-5 feet across eastern New Mexico.
Gov. Susana Martinez has ordered the New Mexico National Guard to stand by.
State emergency managers are also prepared to mobilize if any communities are heavily impacted.
The state Department of Transportation says major freeways in several counties are either slippery or completely icy.
Santa Fe officials have issued an alert for drivers to stay off the roads unless it is an emergency.
Authorities re urging residents to be prepared for power outages.
Editor's Note: Due to a web editing error, a significant portion of this post was deleted. The post has been recreated based on the Associated Press wire content and does not exactly reflect the original content composed over a series of days and including attributed content and links to content from other news organizations. There was no reported error or issue with the original post, the deletion was in error. We apologize for the inconvenience. Questions? Please contact News Director Elaine Baumgartel.