Viewers, news crew capture tornado

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - When a tornado strolled across rural Chaves County a News 13 crew and numerous viewers were there to record the event.

First confirmation of a funnel cloud came in around 5:30 p.m. from weather spotters 20 miles northwest of Roswell. By 6 p.m. the tornado was on the ground 20 miles north of Roswell near U.S. Highway 285.

There were no initial reports of damage or injuries as the twister kept moving northeast until near 7 p.m.

News 13 investigative reporter Larry Barker and producer Mark Corey were on their way back from southeast New Mexico when they spotted the twister and preserved the event on video.

Viewer Jim Tucker posted his video on YouTube, and viewers Larry Hickman, Amanda Dolen, Mike Chavez, Dennis and Armando submitted still pictures through KRQE ReportIt!

Earlier coverage:

A tornado warning for rural Chaves County north of Roswell will expire at 7:15 p.m, according to the National Weather Service, which confirmed two tornadoes touched down.

The dangerous storm blew up about 20 miles northwest of Roswell. Trained weather spotters reported seeing a funnel cloud. Reports of two tornadoes on the ground about 20 miles north of Roswell came in around 6 p.m.

The storm was moving northeast and crossed U.S. Highway 285 about 20 miles north of Roswell. The warning originally was set to expire at 6 p.m. and was extended to 6:30, but by then the storm was 25 miles north or Roswell, still strong and moving northeast at 15 mph.

Shortly after 7 p.m. the weather service said the warning would be allowed to expire at 7:15.

Heavy rain, high winds and large hail returned to metro Albuquerque Thursday afternoon as a strong thunderstorm moved north along the Manzano and Sandia mountains and into the Rio Grande valley.

At 4:30 p.m. the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for central Bernalillo County and southeastern Sandoval County as the storm moved from eastern Albuquerque toward Corrales, Rio Rancho and Bernalillo dropping rain and possibly quarter-size hail. The storm also was forecast to hit the Interstate 25 construction zone between Tramway Road and Bernalillo.

The warning for severe weather expired at 5 p.m. although the storm continued to rumble to the north.

At 3:42 p.m. National Weather Service radar had placed the same storm eight miles west of Escabosa and 16 miles southeast of Albuquerque. The storm was moving north at 15 miles an hour likely producing penny-size hail, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph.

The storm was moving through eastern Bernalillo, northeastern Valencia and northwestern Torrance counties with communities from Sedillo to the eastern Albuquerque foothills likely to feel its affects.

Dangerous driving conditions were forecast for Interstate 40 from the mouth of Tijeras Canyon in Albuquerque nearly to Edgewood with possible hail accumulations on the pavement.

The weather service also said the storm may intensify as it moves northward through Cedar Crest and Sandia Park.

A storm in western New Mexico slowed traffic on I-40 as it dump hail and snow on the roadway in the Iyanbito area east of Gallup around 3 p.m. New Mexico State Police and McKinley County sheriff's deputies handled nine weather-related crashes, some with injuries, between mile markers 33 and 37, State Police reported.

Farther west I-40 was closed for awhile Thursday afternoon by a hail storm that contributed to numerous crashes between Flagstaff and Williams.

Weather advisories are out for much of the rest of the state extending into Friday morning.

Online: KRQE.com Severe Weather section. Submit storm photos and video to KRQE ReportIt!