720
FXUS65 KABQ 202329 AAA
AFDABQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
429 PM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
..NEW AVIATION
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 424 PM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
- STRONG TO POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WESTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST
ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NM THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
HOURS TODAY, CREATING HAZARDOUS CROSSWINDS ON NORTH-TO-SOUTH
ORIENTED ROADS.
- SNOW WILL PRODUCE WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE WEST
CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
- A WARMING TREND WILL BEGIN THIS WEEKEND AND CONTINUE INTO THE
MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES RISING WELL ABOVE AVERAGE
MOST PLACES STARTING MONDAY.
- CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF RAPID
FIRE SPREAD ACROSS NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL AREAS TODAY, THEN
POTENTIALLY AGAIN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
SHORT TERM
(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1123 AM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS CURRENTLY RACING EAST ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND NORTHERN NM PER THE LATEST WATER VAPOR
SATELLITE IMAGERY, WHILE A PACIFIC COLD FRONT IS PROGRESSING
THROUGH CENTRAL NM AT THE SURFACE. THE 18Z KABQ UPPER AIR
SOUNDING MEASURED 500MB WIND SPEEDS AT AN IMPRESSIVE 75KTS. THE
STRONGEST SURFACE WINDS ARE LOCATED NEAR AND EAST OF THE COLD
FRONT, WITH BLUSTERY CONDITIONS BEHIND IT. WINDS ACROSS EASTERN NM
ARE STILL ON THE UPTREND AND PATCHES OF BLOWING DUST WILL LIKELY
DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON, ESPECIALLY NEAR ROSWELL. THE WIND AND
WINTER HIGHLIGHTS WILL REMAIN AS-IS AND EXPIRE AT 00Z, ALTHOUGH A
PORTION OF THE WIND HIGHLIGHTS MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED AN HOUR OR
TWO. OTHERWISE, CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE RAPIDLY THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT, ALTHOUGH A COLD NIGHT IS FORECAST WITH LOW TEMPERATURES
GENERALLY 5-15 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL
TAKE SHAPE ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT,
PROVIDING FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS.
LONG TERM
(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 1123 AM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH
MONDAY, WITH A CONTINUED WARMING TREND AND MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS.
THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL FLATTEN OUT ON TUESDAY AND GIVE WAY TO
STRONGER WNW FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK,
BRINGING BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS BACK TO THE FORECAST.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE A SOLID 10-20 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE DURING
THE TUE-FRI PERIOD, WITH THE GREATEST DEPARTURES FROM AVERAGE
ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THANKS TO DOWNSLOPE WARMING.
AVIATION
(00Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 424 PM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
VFR PREVAILS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS TODAY'S PACIFIC STORM/COLD
FRONT IS PUSHING EASTWARD ACROSS THE TEXAS BORDER AT THIS TIME. CUMULUS
CLOUDS WILL REMAIN IN THE PICTURE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS, GIVING
WAY TO PERIODIC HIGH CLOUDS OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY. GUSTY WINDS
HAVE PEAKED FOR THE DAY AND SHOULD TREND DOWN FURTHER AFTER
SUNSET. AT THIS TIME, DO NOT SEE A NEED TO EXTEND THE AIRPORT
WEATHER WARNING FOR KABQ, WHICH IS SET TO EXPIRE AT 6 PM MST.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 1123 AM MST FRI FEB 20 2026
AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND PACIFIC COLD FRONT ARE BRINGING STRONG
WESTERLY WINDS TODAY, WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN NM AND ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS
OF WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST NM. A BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL
TAKE SHAPE ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK, BRINGING A WARMING/DRYING TREND WITH POOR VENTILATION ACROSS
CENTRAL AND WESTERN NM. THE RIDGE WILL FLATTEN OUT AND ALLOW
STRONGER WEST-NORTHWEST FLOW TO PENETRATE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
ROCKIES AND NM FROM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, BRINGING MODERATE
WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE WINDS TO AREAS OF EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN
CHAIN. MODERATE CHANCES (40-50%) FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS EXIST NEXT TUE/WED, MAINLY IN THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS
AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
FARMINGTON...................... 16 41 19 50 / 5 0 0 0
DULCE........................... 0 41 4 51 / 10 0 0 0
CUBA............................ 13 41 16 50 / 5 0 0 0
GALLUP.......................... 6 42 10 54 / 0 0 0 0
EL MORRO........................ 12 45 21 54 / 0 0 0 0
GRANTS.......................... 8 46 14 55 / 0 0 0 0
QUEMADO......................... 14 48 21 59 / 0 0 0 0
MAGDALENA....................... 21 46 27 55 / 0 0 0 0
DATIL........................... 17 46 23 55 / 0 0 0 0
RESERVE......................... 14 56 20 63 / 0 0 0 0
GLENWOOD........................ 18 61 23 65 / 0 0 0 0
CHAMA........................... 0 35 9 45 / 20 0 0 0
LOS ALAMOS...................... 17 41 22 50 / 0 0 0 0
PECOS........................... 15 45 18 53 / 0 0 0 0
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 8 38 14 47 / 5 0 0 0
RED RIVER....................... 4 31 8 40 / 10 0 0 0
ANGEL FIRE...................... -1 37 -1 47 / 5 0 0 0
TAOS............................ 6 41 9 51 / 5 0 0 0
MORA............................ 12 45 15 55 / 5 0 0 0
ESPANOLA........................ 14 48 15 56 / 5 0 0 0
SANTA FE........................ 19 43 23 51 / 5 0 0 0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 17 46 20 53 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 25 49 29 56 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 24 51 27 57 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 21 53 24 60 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 24 51 27 57 / 0 0 0 0
BELEN........................... 19 52 20 58 / 0 0 0 0
BERNALILLO...................... 23 51 25 59 / 0 0 0 0
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 19 52 20 59 / 0 0 0 0
CORRALES........................ 23 52 25 59 / 0 0 0 0
LOS LUNAS....................... 20 52 22 58 / 0 0 0 0
PLACITAS........................ 23 46 27 55 / 0 0 0 0
RIO RANCHO...................... 24 51 26 57 / 0 0 0 0
SOCORRO......................... 24 54 24 61 / 0 0 0 0
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 20 44 24 52 / 0 0 0 0
TIJERAS......................... 22 45 26 52 / 0 0 0 0
EDGEWOOD........................ 18 47 19 55 / 0 0 0 0
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 14 48 13 57 / 0 0 0 0
CLINES CORNERS.................. 16 43 19 52 / 0 0 0 0
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 19 48 21 55 / 0 0 0 0
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 19 48 22 55 / 0 0 0 0
CARRIZOZO....................... 24 53 26 58 / 0 0 0 0
RUIDOSO......................... 23 48 24 55 / 0 0 0 0
CAPULIN......................... 11 42 16 51 / 0 0 0 0
RATON........................... 10 45 13 54 / 0 0 0 0
SPRINGER........................ 11 47 11 57 / 0 0 0 0
LAS VEGAS....................... 13 46 17 55 / 0 0 0 0
CLAYTON......................... 19 48 23 55 / 0 0 0 0
ROY............................. 16 46 19 55 / 0 0 0 0
CONCHAS......................... 20 53 19 62 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA ROSA...................... 21 50 20 58 / 0 0 0 0
TUCUMCARI....................... 21 53 20 62 / 0 0 0 0
CLOVIS.......................... 25 53 24 60 / 0 0 0 0
PORTALES........................ 24 54 21 60 / 0 0 0 0
FORT SUMNER..................... 22 53 19 58 / 0 0 0 0
ROSWELL......................... 30 57 25 58 / 0 0 0 0
PICACHO......................... 25 55 24 58 / 0 0 0 0
ELK............................. 23 56 21 60 / 0 0 0 0
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR NMZ104-125-126.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NMZ214-215-
223-229-232-233.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NMZ212-213-221-
222-226-228-231-234>240.
SHORT TERM...11
LONG TERM....11
AVIATION...53-SCHROEDER
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