The Navajo reservation covers much of the northern part of that state and it was hit particularly hard in that storm. Much of the population of the native Americans lived in Hogan’s, basic homes made from logs and mud. They became trapped inside these due to the excessive snowfall. Adding to the difficulties in the area was its remoteness and the few roads in the region soon became impassable. In one case 200 farm workers were trapped in a number of trucks near to the town of Grant.

The Governor eventually ordered the National Guard to airlift in urgently needed supplies to those most affected, medical supplies were also dropped onto a Hopi reservation whose residents were trapped by the snow. Four days after the worst of the emergency situation began the United States Air Force began to operate helicopter rescues when it became clear there would be no early break in the cold weather or no let up in the snowfall. The heavy snowfall suffered in New Mexico spread to other neighbouring states, twenty people died in snow related incidents in West Texas, Southern Colorado experienced extraordinary levels of snowfall all the way through Christmas and beyond.