B737-300 FLT CREW PERFORMS AN EMER DSCNT AFTER LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE. DIVERTS TO AND LANDS AFTER A TSTM SPONSORED TFC DELAY AT ABQ.

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I WAS THE CAPT AND PF OF FLT. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT FL330; FO NOTICED THAT THE CABIN PRESSURE ALT WAS ABOVE 9000 FT AND THE CABIN RATE OF CLB INDICATOR WAS INDICATING A 400 FPM CLB. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE 'UNSCHEDULED PRESSURIZATION CHANGE' PROC IN THE QRH. AFTER SELECTING STANDBY; THEN MANUAL PRESSURIZATION CTLS; NEITHER HAD ANY EFFECT! THE CABIN RATE OF CLB WAS STILL STEADY AT 400 FPM RATE OF CLB. THE CABIN WAS THEN AT 10000 FT AND THE OUTFLOW VALVE WAS FULLY CLOSED. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF THE PROB AND STARTED AN EMER DSCNT EVENTUALLY TO 10000 FT WHEN MEA PERMITTED; WHILE ACCOMPLISHING THE 'CABIN ALT RAPID DSCNT' PROC. DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE DSCNT; THE CABIN ALT WARNING HORN SOUNDED; BUT LATER (10-15 SECONDS) SILENCED WHEN THE CABIN ALT DSNDED BELOW 10000 FT. THE MASKS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE PAX CABIN. (I THINK IT WAS DUE TO THE SHORT DURATION AT 10000 FT.) DURING THE DSCNT; FO ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT DISPATCH VIA ACR Y NET AND ACARS (ACFT POS 10-40 MI SE OF RSK VOR); BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO UNTIL WE WERE APPROX 40 MI NW OF ABQ VOR. ABQ WAS THE CLOSEST ARPT CONSIDERING POINT IN TIME. SO WE ACCOMPLISHED DIVERSION TO ABQ. A SHORT DELAY WAS REQUIRED WHILE WAITING FOR THE TSTM AT ABQ TO CLR; AND WE WERE SEQUENCED BEHIND A SECOND EMER ACFT (ACR Z). HOWEVER; AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 3 WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SEVERAL PAX COMPLAINED OF EAR PROBS WHICH (I SUSPECT) OCCURRED DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE DSCNT. AFTER SEEING THE CABIN ALT START DSNDING; I MAINTAINED PARTIAL PWR IN THE DSCNT. USING SPD BRAKE AND AIRSPD APPROX 320 KTS. MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT TO ATTEND THOSE PAX WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE IN ABQ.