Poll: What is the strangest thing about New Mexico?
News 13 viewers say the strangest thing about New Mexico is the weather. New Mexico experiences a wide variety of weather phenomena, from haboobs to heavy snow. One of the most common weather patterns in the state is 'all the darn wind.' New Mexico often experiences powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires, and blizzards, all due to changes in air pressure. The weather around New Mexico can also change on a whim, sometimes feeling like 'four seasons in a single day.' One viewer notes, 'You can ski at Ski Apache and sunbathe at White Sands on the same day.'
Haboob blows over Deming on March 3, 2025
The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burns south of Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday, May 7, 2022
Las Vegas snow | Courtesy of Mark Montoya November 7, 2024
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Another aspect of New Mexico that viewers consider strange is its wildlife. The state bird, the roadrunner, is fairly easy to spot, as their population has nearly doubled in the last 60 years. These 'cute but strange little creatures' typically run at 15 miles per hour, can consume venomous prey, and can only fly for short distances. Another common sight is the coyote. New Mexico is home to 16 subspecies, and they're more likely to be seen in winter. Porcupines have been known to roam the Bosque. While it has been incredibly rare to see one in New Mexico, Mexican wolves are beginning to return to their original habitat. 'Vinagaroons, weirdly wonderful little creatures,' also known as whip scorpions, are native to the area. Even a pelican has been spotted in Santa Fe.
State bird: Chaparral, commonly called the 'roadrunner' | Photo Courtesy: NM Sec. of State
Mexican Wolf | Courtesy: ABQ BioPark
Coyote in New Mexico | Courtesy New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
One strange phenomenon is synonymous with New Mexico: aliens. Roswell, in particular, has long been associated with 'many UFO crashes.' Many viewers describe their own supernatural encounters and unexplainable sights, typically seeing strange lights in the sky. The Very Large Array, an astronomy observatory in Socorro County, has been used multiple times as a filming location depicting extraterrestrial contact. A viewer calls it the 'quietest, most disconcerting thing I have ever seen. Love the science, but it's freaky.'
The Very Large Array
FILE – A sign directs travelers to the start of the '1947 UFO Crash Site Tours' in Roswell, N.M., June 10, 1997. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File)
From White Sands to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico boasts a 'great variety of geography.' One viewer says, 'The strangest thing I've seen is the trees growing over by the Fire and Ice caves. So twisted and wildly beautiful. Another viewer mentioned the Four Corners Monument, the point where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet.
White Sands | Adobe Stock
Hundreds of cave formations are shown decorating the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)
Shiprock rock formation in the Four Corners region of the New Mexico desert. (Adobe Spark)
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Another unique feature: New Mexico is the only U.S. state (besides Georgia) to share a name with another country. Naturally, this leads to some confusion for Americans living outside the state. One viewer finds it 'strange that NM is the only state that requires the license plates to have USA on [them] because the rest of the country has no clue we are one of the 50 states.'
KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file
KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file
KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file
One thing that many viewers notice as strange about the Land of Enchantment is chile in or on top of most foods. The state question—'Red or green?'—is something every New Mexican has heard asked before. One viewer 'had to learn to order cheese pizza without green chili.' Another viewer mentions 'the apple pie. If you go to Pie Town, yes, an actual town, the pie has apple, green chile, and pine nuts. It's not bad, but green chile goes in everything there.' The chile industry has had an important impact on the economy of the state, as New Mexico is the nation's largest chile pepper grower. New Mexico is also the only state to have a state aroma, 'Green Chile Roasting in the Fall.' Another notable staple of New Mexican cuisine is the breakfast burrito. The breakfast burrito originated at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in the 1970s and can now be found almost anywhere in the state. One viewer wonders, 'Why is everyone obsessed with breakfast burritos?'
Bosque Chile Fest
Breakfast Burrito | Adobe Stock
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Every part of the U.S. has a distinct accent or dialect, and New Mexico is no different. One of the most commonly answered local lingo is adding the word 'all' before adjectives, like 'all crazy,' 'all funny,' 'all perfect,' etc. A viewer notices locals tend to say 'get down' from the car instead of 'get out.' ''Saven' is seven, 'elaven' is eleven, 'A la!' means 'Holy cow!' and every soda is a Coke,' says one viewer.
Who can forget the tumbleweed snowman? Lack of snowfall leads to some creative solutions. This Albuquerque staple comes back every winter, and the tradition is starting to expand to other areas of the state, with a new addition in Socorro.
The Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority put up its Tumbleweed Snowman on Nov. 28, 2023. (KRQE)
Socorro tumbleweed snowman created by Jerry Gutierrez.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
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