349
FXUS65 KABQ 181739 AAB
AFDABQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1139 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
..NEW AVIATION
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 1134 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
- ANOTHER PERIOD OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER MAY OCCUR SUNDAY OVER
NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO WITH RAPID FIRE SPREAD POSSIBLE. CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS RETURN TO NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND
POTENTIALLY NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO WEDNESDAY.
- EVAPORATING SHOWERS AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY WILL RESULT IN
GUSTY AND ERRATIC WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH, PATCHY BLOWING DUST,
AND POTENTIAL FUTURE FIRE STARTS FROM DRY LIGHTNING.
SHORT TERM
(TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 151 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
IT'S A MOSTLY CLEAR AND COLD NIGHT ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NM.
STRONG NORTH WINDS ACROSS EASTERN NM AND THE RGV BEHIND A BACKDOOR
FRONT FRIDAY EVENING HAVE WEAKENED EARLY THIS MORNING, SO WENT
AHEAD AND CANCELLED THE WIND ADVISORY ACROSS FAR EASTERN NM. WITH
THE CLEAR SKIES, LIGHTER WINDS, AND VERY DRY AIR IN PLACE THIS
MORNING, TEMPERATURES WILL PLUMMET THROUGH JUST AFTER SUNRISE, WITH
20S TO LOW 30S FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF I-25 AND ALONG AND NORTH
OF I-40. A HARD FREEZE IS EXPECTED FOR THE SAN JUAN RIVER VALLEY,
VALLEY LOCATIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NM WITH A LIGHT
FREEZE IN VALLEY LOCATIONS OF THE ABQ METRO SO THE FREEZE WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THESE LOCATIONS AND THE SAN AUGUSTIN PLAINS
UNTIL 9 AM MDT. A COOL AND QUIET SATURDAY IS EXPECTED IN THE
WAKE OF FRIDAY'S SYSTEM WITH GENERALLY LIGHT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS.
LOWS SUNDAY MORNING WILL BE AROUND 5 TO 10 DEGREES WARMER THAN THIS
MORNING AS THE AIRMASS MODERATES DUE TO SOUTHEAST RETURN FLOW. A FEW
ZONES LIKE THE SAN JUAN RIVER VALLEY, UPPER RGV, AND ESPANOLA AND
ESTANCIA VALLEYS WILL PROBABLY NEED ANOTHER FREEZE WARNING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTED LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOW 30S, BUT WILL LET THE
DAY SHIFT TAKE CARE OF THAT AFTER THIS MORNING'S FREEZE.
UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL MOVE OVERHEAD ON SUNDAY. HOWEVER, SOUTHEAST
AND SOUTH SURFACE AND MID LEVEL FLOW WILL BRING IN SOME MID LEVEL
GULF MOISTURE. LOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN PRETTY DRY WITH DEWPOINTS IN
THE TEENS TO MID 20S. THIS HIGHER MID LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH
SOME DAYTIME HEATING WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME VIRGA
SHOWERS ACROSS THE WESTERN HIGH TERRAIN SUNDAY EVENING. MAIN HAZARD
WILL BE GUSTY AND ERRATIC WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. MEANWHILE, DRY
SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH COMBINED WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE LOW TO MID TEENS WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL
FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD ACROSS NORTHEAST NM SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY
SUNDAY EVENING.
LONG TERM
(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 151 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL BE OVER MUCH OF THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST ON
MONDAY. HOWEVER, A WEAK DISTURBANCE EMBEDDED IN THE RIDGE OVER NEW
MEXICO COMBINED WITH ELEVATED GULF MOISTURE DUE TO SOUTHEAST
SURFACE RETURN FLOW WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISOLATED
TO SCATTERED VIRGA SHOWERS FOR MOST AREAS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND
EARLY EVENING HOURS. POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME DRY THUNDERSTORMS
AS WELL WITH THE WESTERN HIGH TERRAIN FAVORED DUE TO LI VALUES OF -3
TO -5 DEG C. MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE GUSTY AND ERRATIC WIND GUSTS UP TO
50 MPH ALONG WITH DRY LIGHTNING POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN FUTURE FIRE
STARTS. DRIER WESTERLY FLOW MOVES INTO THE STATE ON TUESDAY AHEAD OF
AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG UPPER LOW SPINNING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST. A
FEW SPRINKLES TO LIGHT SHOWERS CAN'T BE RULED OUT ACROSS THE NORTH
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. THE UPPER LOW IS FORECASTED TO MOVE INTO THE
WESTERN U.S WEDNESDAY AND ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST THURSDAY
WITH LINGERING LONGWAVE TROUGHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE WESTERN U.S.
FRIDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS ACROSS
MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH A POTENTIAL
FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD FAVORING AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAIN CHAIN, AND POTENTIALLY NORTHWEST NM AS WELL ON WEDNESDAY.
DRY AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS COULD CONTINUE FOR MOST FRIDAY
WITH A BACKDOOR FRONT HANGING IN FAR NORTHEAST NM. TEMPERATURES WILL
BE NEAR AVERAGE MONDAY, WARMING TO ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES BY 5
TO 15 DEGREES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY BEFORE COOLING DOWN CLOSER TO
AVERAGE IN THE WAKE OF THE PACIFIC FRONT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
AVIATION
(18Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 1134 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD.
LIGHT WINDS WILL GENERALLY PREVAIL THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD AS WELL
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME GUSTY SE WINDS OF 15 TO 25 KTS THROUGH
THE GAPS OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN OVERNIGHT. SOUTH WINDS WILL ALSO
TREND STRONGER AREAWIDE LATE TOMORROW MORNING AT THE TAIL END OF
THE TAF PERIOD.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 151 AM MDT SAT APR 18 2026
COOL WITH LIGHT EAST AND SOUTHEAST WINDS AREAWIDE SATURDAY. CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS RETURN TO NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO SUNDAY DUE TO
GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS FROM A SURFACE LEE TROUGH COMBINED WITH LOW
MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE LOW TO MID TEENS.
ELEVATED GULF MOISTURE ACROSS THE STATE MONDAY WILL RESULT IN
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED VIRGA SHOWERS AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
MOST AREAS MONDAY. DRY THUNDERSTORMS WILL FAVOR THE WESTERN HIGH
TERRAIN. DRY LIGHTNING COULD RESULT IN FUTURE FIRE STARTS. WARMER
WITH LIGHT SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS TUESDAY. SOUTHWEST WINDS
INCREASE WEDNESDAY AS AN SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE WESTERN U.S. THESE
STRONGER WINDS COMBINED WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE
UPPER SINGLE DIGITS TO LOW TEENS WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS NORTHEAST NM AND POTENTIALLY
NORTHWEST NM AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF DRYING FUELS. THE SYSTEM MOVES
ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST THURSDAY RESULTING IN GUSTY WEST
WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES, AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. SOUTHWEST
AND WEST WINDS REMAIN ELEVATED FRIDAY, BUT SLIGHTLY COOLER
TEMPERATURES AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES COULD
LIMIT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
FARMINGTON...................... 62 33 74 45 / 0 0 0 0
DULCE........................... 61 27 70 28 / 0 0 0 0
CUBA............................ 60 30 67 37 / 0 0 0 5
GALLUP.......................... 62 26 73 36 / 0 0 0 10
EL MORRO........................ 62 35 69 39 / 0 0 5 10
GRANTS.......................... 64 28 71 36 / 0 0 0 5
QUEMADO......................... 66 36 70 39 / 0 0 5 10
MAGDALENA....................... 62 37 66 43 / 0 0 0 10
DATIL........................... 62 35 64 40 / 0 0 5 10
RESERVE......................... 73 31 74 38 / 0 0 10 10
GLENWOOD........................ 78 36 77 40 / 0 0 10 10
CHAMA........................... 55 30 63 31 / 0 0 0 0
LOS ALAMOS...................... 58 39 66 43 / 0 0 0 0
PECOS........................... 60 29 67 36 / 0 0 0 5
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 55 30 64 37 / 0 0 0 0
RED RIVER....................... 47 24 56 31 / 0 0 0 0
ANGEL FIRE...................... 52 17 61 23 / 0 0 0 0
TAOS............................ 60 27 68 30 / 0 0 0 0
MORA............................ 57 26 67 34 / 0 0 0 0
ESPANOLA........................ 65 35 73 38 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE........................ 60 35 67 43 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 62 33 70 40 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 67 42 73 49 / 0 0 0 5
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 68 40 74 47 / 0 0 0 5
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 70 40 77 46 / 0 0 0 5
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 68 39 74 49 / 0 0 0 5
BELEN........................... 70 35 74 44 / 0 0 0 10
BERNALILLO...................... 68 37 75 46 / 0 0 0 5
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 70 36 76 44 / 0 0 0 5
CORRALES........................ 70 37 76 47 / 0 0 0 5
LOS LUNAS....................... 69 35 75 44 / 0 0 0 5
PLACITAS........................ 64 40 71 47 / 0 0 0 5
RIO RANCHO...................... 68 39 74 48 / 0 0 0 5
SOCORRO......................... 72 41 75 47 / 0 0 0 20
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 62 35 68 44 / 0 0 0 10
TIJERAS......................... 62 36 69 44 / 0 0 0 10
EDGEWOOD........................ 63 29 71 39 / 0 0 0 5
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 64 25 72 34 / 0 0 0 5
CLINES CORNERS.................. 57 30 66 38 / 0 0 0 5
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 64 30 69 40 / 0 0 0 10
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 63 32 68 41 / 0 0 0 20
CARRIZOZO....................... 67 39 69 43 / 0 0 0 30
RUIDOSO......................... 59 33 62 41 / 0 0 0 30
CAPULIN......................... 54 30 64 33 / 0 0 0 0
RATON........................... 58 25 70 31 / 0 0 0 0
SPRINGER........................ 60 28 71 31 / 0 0 0 0
LAS VEGAS....................... 57 28 66 36 / 0 0 0 0
CLAYTON......................... 61 34 69 42 / 0 0 0 0
ROY............................. 57 31 66 37 / 0 0 0 0
CONCHAS......................... 64 31 73 41 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA ROSA...................... 61 30 68 38 / 0 0 0 5
TUCUMCARI....................... 65 33 74 42 / 0 0 0 0
CLOVIS.......................... 65 31 72 43 / 0 0 0 10
PORTALES........................ 67 30 72 43 / 0 0 0 10
FORT SUMNER..................... 66 32 70 40 / 0 0 0 5
ROSWELL......................... 70 39 71 45 / 0 0 0 30
PICACHO......................... 63 35 67 41 / 0 0 0 20
ELK............................. 62 31 66 37 / 0 0 5 30
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
SHORT TERM...71
LONG TERM....71
AVIATION...16
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