190  
FXUS65 KABQ 042056  
AFDABQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM  
256 PM MDT SAT JUL 4 2009  
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
CURRENTLY...ACTIVE CONVECTION ONGOING STATEWIDE...WITH LOCALLY  
HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE JEMEZ MOUNTAINS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.  
THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE NOW EXPANDING RAPIDLY OVER THE NORTHERN  
MOUNTAINS AND THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS...WITH MORE DEVELOPMENT OVER  
THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND SACRAMENTO AND GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS.  
SPC CONTINUING SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS BROADLY NORTH  
AND EAST OF A LINE FROM RATON TO TUCUMCARI. ON THE CHARTS...BROAD  
RIDGE EXTENDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN U.S. DOWNSTAIRS...COLD FRONT  
SAGGING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS HAS REACHED A SOCORRO  
TO ROSWELL LINE...WITH WIND SHIFTS TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST NORTH  
OF THE FRONT PROVIDING SOME UPSLOPE HELP FOR THUNDERSTORM  
DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN.  
 
MODELS...REASONABLE CONSENSUS AND PLAUSIBLE SOLUTION MAINTAINS  
BROAD ZONAL RIDGE ACROSS NEW MEXICO THROUGH MIDWEEK...WITH TROUGH  
DIGGING SOUTHWARD DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY VEERING FLOW ALOFT  
TO NORTHWEST OVER NEW MEXICO AS THE WORK WEEK GETS UNDERWAY. BY  
MIDWEEK...RIDGE CORE DEVELOPING OVER THE TROPICAL EAST PACIFIC  
WILL EXPAND EASTWARD ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND PUT BRAKES ON NORTHWARD  
MOISTURE SURGE. RIDGE CORE CENTERED OVER NEW MEXICO FOR LATE IN  
THE WORK WEEK NOW APPEARS TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE UPCOMING  
WEEKEND FOR WARM UP...AND AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WORKING WITH  
RECYCLED MOISTURE INITIATING ON SLOPES AND MOVING SLOWLY TO  
VALLEYS THROUGH THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK.  
 
SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...COLD FRONT STALLING OVER  
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO WITH WIND SHIFT TO THE EAST PROVIDING  
CONTINUED UPSLOPE ENHANCEMENT FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT INTO  
THE EVENING...WITH THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE EXPANDING TO THE  
NORTHEAST PLAINS THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD TURN  
SEVERE...WITH DOWNBURST WINDS AND HAIL PUSHING INTO LARGER SIZES BY  
LATE AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE...LACK OF STEERING FLOW ALOFT WILL  
ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO LINGER AND EXPAND OVER INITIATION  
POINTS...AND WILL EXPECT A BUSY NIGHT FOR THE HYDROLOGY DEPARTMENT  
OVERNIGHT.  
 
INTO SUNDAY...ANOTHER CONVECTIVELY ACTIVE DAY ON TAP...WITH SLIGHT  
RISK CONTINUING FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO IN ZONE  
OF MAXIMUM LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WITH CONTINUED WEAK COOL  
ADVECTION PRESSING SOUTH AND WEST. TROUGH DIGGING SOUTHWARD TO THE  
EAST OF THE STATE WILL BACK FLOW ALOFT TO THE  
NORTHWEST...PROVIDING VERTICAL SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL SHEAR TO  
EASTERN NEW MEXICO COLUMN AND SUPPORTING STRONGER VERTICAL  
DEVELOPMENT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE...CONTINUING NORTHBOUND  
MOISTURE PENETRATION INTO THE STATE WILL PROLONG LOCAL FLASH  
FLOODING WOE TO WRAP UP THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND ESSENTIALLY STATEWIDE.  
 
INTO MONDAY...FLOW ALOFT VEERED TO NORTHWEST UP AND OVER  
DEVELOPING RIDGE CORE OVER NORTHWEST MEXICO. BROAD SURFACE TROUGH  
OVER THE STATE WILL SUPPORT LOCALIZED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE  
CONVERGENCE OVER AND TO THE EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN.  
RIDGE ALOFT WILL RATCHET DOWN NORTHBOUND MOISTURE ADVECTION..AND  
LEAVE DEVELOPING CONVECTION RECYCLED MOISTURE TO WORK WITH.  
EXPECTING DOWNTICK IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE...BUT SUFFICIENT  
MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN TO SUPPORT SOME LOCAL FLASH FLOODING  
CONCERN FOR SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE STATE. CONTINUED SLIGHT RISK  
FOR SEVERE WEATHER OVER NORTHEAST END OF THE STATE.  
 
INTO TUESDAY...TEMPERATURES FINALLY WARMING BACK UP TO NORMAL  
LEVELS TUESDAY WITH SOME DRYING WORKING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST  
AS RIDGE CORE EXPANDS EASTWARD ACROSS ARIZONA AND SOUTHWESTERN NEW  
MEXICO. SURFACE TROUGH DEEPENING OVER EASTERN BORDER OF THE STATE  
WILL PROVIDE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE TO SUPPORT CONVECTION  
OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS...WITH INITIATION ON SLOPES NEAR THE  
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN IN GENTLE WEST FLOW.  
 
LONGER TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...RIDGE FIRMLY IN PLACE  
OVER NEW MEXICO WEDNESDAY WILL BRING TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL  
STATEWIDE...WITH CONVECTION WORK CUT OUT TO PUSH THROUGH BROAD  
SUBSIDENCE ALOFT. TEMPERATURE TRENDS WILL LEVEL OUT FROM THURSDAY  
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH GUIDANCE SUGGESTING SOME EASTWARD CREEP  
OF THE RIDGE CORE...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO REOPEN THE NORTHBOUND  
MOISTURE TAP AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND.  
 
SHY  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE SOUTH AND WEST INTO TONIGHT WITH  
WEAK TO MODERATE EAST CANYON WINDS INTO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.  
SHOWERS AND STORMS WITH CIGS TO 025 AND VSBYS TO 3SM ARE POSSIBLE  
NEXT 24 HOURS IN STORMS. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 KTS MAY OCCUR AS WELL  
WITH ANY STORM.  
 
NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. CHJ  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR HAS WORKED INTO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF NM TODAY  
WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 40S. MEANWHILE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY  
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE WEST AND SOUTH THROUGH TONIGHT WITH A FRESH  
SUPPLY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. DEWPOINTS WILL BE MOSTLY IN THE 50S  
THROUGH TONIGHT. WETTING RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER A MAJORITY OF  
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.  
 
THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH WILL REBUILD TO THE WEST OF THE STATE SUNDAY  
AND BUILD OVER NM THROUGH THURSDAY. NORTHWEST SURFACE FLOW INTO THE  
NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE WILL ADVECT DRIER AIR ALREADY  
ORGANIZING OVER THE GREAT BASIN. MODELS INDICATE TEMPS WILL RETURN  
TO SEASONAL NORMALS OR HIGHER WITH WIDESPREAD 90S ACROSS THE WEST.  
MIN RH VALUES DOWN IN THE TEENS ARE EXPECTED EACH AFTERNOON FROM  
MONDAY THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY IN THIS AREA. THE CHANCE FOR  
SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE FOCUSED OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE  
FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. RH RECOVERIES WILL STILL BE GOOD ACROSS THE  
EAST.  
 
THE 00Z GFS/ECMWF MODELS INDICATE THE HIGH MAY WOBBLE SLIGHTLY EAST  
INTO TEXAS LATE IN THE WEEK ALLOWING MOISTURE INCREASES ONCE AGAIN  
MAINLY OVER THE WESTERN THIRD. MODELS ALSO AGREE BY NEXT WEEKEND THE  
HIGH WILL SLIDE WEST AGAIN OVER NM WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS AND  
SUPPRESSING WETTING RAINFALL TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN.  
 
CHJ  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
 
 
FARMINGTON...................... 61 93 61 95 / 10 5 5 0  
GALLUP.......................... 55 87 54 90 / 10 10 5 5  
GRANTS.......................... 55 86 55 89 / 20 20 5 10  
GLENWOOD........................ 63 94 62 97 / 20 20 10 10  
CHAMA........................... 47 79 47 82 / 30 30 10 10  
LOS ALAMOS...................... 57 82 55 84 / 30 30 20 20  
RED RIVER....................... 43 73 42 75 / 30 50 20 20  
TAOS............................ 51 83 51 85 / 20 40 20 20  
SANTA FE........................ 57 85 56 87 / 30 30 20 20  
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 59 86 57 89 / 20 30 20 20  
ESPANOLA........................ 58 89 56 93 / 20 20 20 20  
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 68 88 66 92 / 20 20 10 10  
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 64 90 63 93 / 20 20 10 10  
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 62 86 61 89 / 20 20 10 10  
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 63 89 63 93 / 20 20 10 10  
SOCORRO......................... 63 90 63 94 / 20 20 20 10  
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 55 79 51 83 / 20 30 20 10  
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 57 87 55 88 / 30 30 20 10  
CARRIZOZO....................... 61 87 59 90 / 30 40 20 10  
RUIDOSO......................... 54 79 51 81 / 50 50 30 20  
RATON........................... 55 81 52 86 / 40 40 20 10  
LAS VEGAS....................... 53 79 51 84 / 30 50 30 20  
ROY............................. 59 81 59 84 / 40 40 20 20  
CLAYTON......................... 61 83 60 88 / 60 60 30 20  
SANTA ROSA...................... 61 88 60 91 / 30 30 20 20  
TUCUMCARI....................... 64 87 64 93 / 30 40 20 20  
FORT SUMNER..................... 65 89 65 91 / 40 30 20 20  
CLOVIS.......................... 64 85 63 90 / 40 30 20 10  
PORTALES........................ 66 88 66 93 / 40 40 20 10  
ROSWELL......................... 69 91 69 95 / 30 20 20 10  
 

 
   
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
SHY/40  
 
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