722
FXUS65 KABQ 230909
AFDABQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
309 AM MDT THU APR 23 2026
..NEW SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, FIRE WEATHER
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 147 AM MDT THU APR 23 2026
- CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND A RISK OF RAPID FIRE SPREAD
WILL PLAGUE SOUTHERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN AREAS TODAY, THEN
AGAIN SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, AND TUESDAY. EXTREMELY CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY ACROSS EASTERN
NM.
- STRONG SOUTHWEST AND WEST WINDS WILL ALSO PRODUCE DIFFICULT
CROSSWINDS FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ON NORTH-SOUTH ROADS TODAY,
SATURDAY, ESPECIALLY SUNDAY, MONDAY, AND TUESDAY.
- THERE IS A MODERATE CHANCE (50%) OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO ON
SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT.
- ON SUNDAY, SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
WESTWARD, AND OVER WEST CENTRAL AREAS, WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING ERRATIC WIND GUSTS WITH HAZARDOUS CROSSWINDS AND
BLOWING DUST, AS WELL AS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.
SHORT TERM
(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 147 AM MDT THU APR 23 2026
A SPEED MAXIMUM IN THE POLAR JETSTREAM WILL FINISH PASSING
EASTWARD OVER THE FORECAST AREA TODAY WITH AN UPTICK IN WIND
SPEEDS CENTRAL AND EAST, AND WEAKER WINDS COMPARED TO WEDNESDAY
ALONG THE AZ BORDER. PEAK GUSTS WILL REACH UP TO 55 MPH AROUND
CLINES CORNERS, AND FROM 40-50 MPH ELSEWHERE EAST OF THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE, WE WILL ADD
GUADALUPE COUNTY TO THE WIND ADVISORY FOR TODAY, SINCE THE JET
CORE WILL CROSS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. THE DAY SHIFT MAY NEED TO
EXPAND THE WIND ADVISORY TO CONCHAS LAKE AND TUCUMCARI, TOO. THE
WIND DIRECTION WILL ALSO SHIFT OUT OF THE NORTHWEST TODAY WITH A
PACIFIC COLD FRONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL FALL A FEW TO 11
DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON FROM WEDNESDAY'S READINGS.
AFTER A COLD START ON FRIDAY WITH FREEZING TEMPERATURES IN
LOCATIONS USED TO HAVING THEM THIS TIME OF YEAR, HIGH TEMPERATURES
WILL BEGIN TO TREND WARMER IN THE AFTERNOON. IN BETWEEN WEATHER
SYSTEMS WINDS WILL WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY ON FRIDAY COMPARED TO
TODAY'S SPEEDS, BUT WITH ZONAL FLOW ALOFT SEASONABLY GUSTY
SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL STILL DEVELOP.
LONG TERM
(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)
ISSUED AT 147 AM MDT THU APR 23 2026
WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT, THEN BECOME
VERY STRONG SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT, AS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL ROCKIES STEERS A STRONGER JET CORE
OVER NM. AFTER SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH ON SATURDAY AND
SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAIN CHAIN, WEST AND NORTHWEST WIND GUSTS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT SHOULD COMMONLY REACH 45 TO 55 MPH;
EXCEPT UP TO 65 MPH IN SOME LOCATIONS ALONG AND EAST OF THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. AT THIS TIME THE STRONGEST WINDS LOOK TO
FAVOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EAST CENTRAL AREAS, WHERE
THE STRONGEST FLOW ALOFT WILL CROSS.
THE UPPER TROUGH WILL ALSO PRODUCE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AND GUSTY
SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORMS, AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS, SATURDAY
NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING OVER NORTH CENTRAL, NORTHWEST, AND
WEST CENTRAL PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA. RAIN AND LIQUID
EQUIVALENT AMOUNTS COULD REACH AROUND 0.40" IN THE TUSAS MOUNTAINS
NEAR THE CO BORDER, AND GENERALLY UP TO 0.15" ELSEWHERE WITH MOST
LOWER ELEVATION LOCATIONS RECEIVING A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH. A
FEW INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE TUSAS
MOUNTAINS NEAR AND ABOVE 10,000'. MEANWHILE, SOUTHERN, CENTRAL
AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA CAN EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING
DUST AND VERY LOW HUMIDITIES WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.
HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO TREND COOLER OVER WESTERN AREAS
ON SATURDAY, THEN OVER MORE OF THE FORECAST AREA ON SUNDAY AS
WINDS SHIFT OUT OF THE NORTHWEST. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD BOTTOM
OUT MOST PLACES ON SUNDAY FROM 9 DEGREES BELOW 1991-2020 AVERAGES
OVER WESTERN AREAS TO AS MUCH AS 11 DEGREES ABOVE THE AVERAGES IN
THE EAST.
THE STORM TRACK OVER THE WESTERN US WILL REMAIN ACTIVE DURING THE
FIRST HALF OF THE COMING WORK WEEK WITH DAILY ROUNDS OF BREEZY TO
WINDY CONDITIONS. HUMIDITIES WILL BE LOW ENOUGH FOR FIRE WEATHER
CONCERNS MONDAY AND TUESDAY, BUT HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE ON
WEDNESDAY AND THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ALMOST AREAWIDE AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CROSSES THE DESERT
SOUTHWEST FROM OFF THE BAJA PENINSULA COAST.
AVIATION
(06Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 1147 PM MDT WED APR 22 2026
THE FLOW ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN TONIGHT, PEAK IN STRENGTH EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING, THEN GRADUALLY WEAKEN FROM MIDDAY THROUGH
AFTERNOON. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR FOR
THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING OVER AND JUST
EAST OF MOUNTAIN RANGES, AND ALSO ACROSS EAST CENTRAL PARTS OF THE
STATE INCLUDING LAS VEGAS, SANTA FE, MORIARTY, SANTA ROSA,
TUCUMCARI, CLOVIS, RUIDOSO, AND GRANTS. IN ADDITION, SURFACE WINDS
WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT OVER AND JUST EAST OF MOUNTAIN RANGES, AND
ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AREAS. GUSTY WINDS WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY TO MID THURSDAY MORNING, THEN
BECOME STRONG FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH THE
STRONGEST GUSTS REACHING 45 KT OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND
ALSO ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AREAS. WIND SPEEDS WILL TREND WEAKER
THURSDAY EVENING.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 147 AM MDT THU APR 23 2026
AN ACTIVE STORM TRACK OVER THE WESTERN US WILL CAUSE A FIRE
GROWING PATTERN TO CONTINUE TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH DAILY
ROUNDS OF BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS AND CRITICALLY LOW
HUMIDITIES. FRIDAY LOOKS LIKE THE DAY WITH THE WEAKEST WINDS AND FEWEST
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS, SINCE ONLY LOCALLY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST OVER EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREAS. THE
STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY WHEN IT LOOKS INCREASINGLY
LIKELY THAT GUSTS WILL REACH UP TO 65 MPH OVER EAST CENTRAL
LOCATIONS. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME LIGHTNING FROM THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS WESTWARD, AND OVER THE WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, MAINLY ON
SUNDAY. WINDS WEST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN PROBABLY WON'T
BE TOO STRONG ON MONDAY, BUT GUSTS WILL PROBABLY REACH 35 TO 45
MPH THERE AGAIN ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
FARMINGTON...................... 65 34 71 42 / 0 0 0 0
DULCE........................... 62 24 67 33 / 0 0 0 0
CUBA............................ 62 31 67 38 / 0 0 0 0
GALLUP.......................... 65 28 68 35 / 0 0 0 0
EL MORRO........................ 62 31 66 37 / 0 0 0 0
GRANTS.......................... 67 29 71 36 / 0 0 0 0
QUEMADO......................... 66 33 69 39 / 0 0 0 0
MAGDALENA....................... 71 41 72 45 / 0 0 0 0
DATIL........................... 66 35 68 40 / 0 0 0 0
RESERVE......................... 73 32 75 37 / 0 0 0 0
GLENWOOD........................ 76 37 79 40 / 0 0 0 0
CHAMA........................... 56 24 60 32 / 0 0 0 0
LOS ALAMOS...................... 63 38 66 45 / 0 0 0 0
PECOS........................... 64 33 67 39 / 0 0 0 0
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 60 29 63 36 / 0 0 0 0
RED RIVER....................... 53 25 57 28 / 0 0 0 0
ANGEL FIRE...................... 56 16 60 24 / 0 0 0 0
TAOS............................ 64 25 68 32 / 0 0 0 0
MORA............................ 63 31 67 38 / 0 0 0 0
ESPANOLA........................ 71 32 74 38 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE........................ 66 36 69 41 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 70 33 73 39 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 72 42 75 47 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 74 43 77 48 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 77 36 79 41 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 74 42 77 49 / 0 0 0 0
BELEN........................... 77 39 80 45 / 0 0 0 0
BERNALILLO...................... 74 39 77 46 / 0 0 0 0
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 76 35 79 42 / 0 0 0 0
CORRALES........................ 76 40 78 47 / 0 0 0 0
LOS LUNAS....................... 76 38 79 44 / 0 0 0 0
PLACITAS........................ 70 39 73 45 / 0 0 0 0
RIO RANCHO...................... 74 41 77 49 / 0 0 0 0
SOCORRO......................... 82 45 83 49 / 0 0 0 0
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 66 38 69 45 / 0 0 0 0
TIJERAS......................... 68 38 71 45 / 0 0 0 0
EDGEWOOD........................ 69 35 71 43 / 0 0 0 0
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 71 29 73 37 / 0 0 0 0
CLINES CORNERS.................. 66 35 68 41 / 0 0 0 0
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 71 36 71 43 / 0 0 0 0
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 71 39 71 44 / 0 0 0 0
CARRIZOZO....................... 76 46 75 51 / 0 0 0 0
RUIDOSO......................... 68 41 68 46 / 0 0 0 0
CAPULIN......................... 66 29 66 34 / 0 0 0 0
RATON........................... 68 29 71 34 / 0 0 0 0
SPRINGER........................ 71 31 73 35 / 0 0 0 0
LAS VEGAS....................... 67 33 69 40 / 0 0 0 0
CLAYTON......................... 77 39 74 44 / 0 0 0 0
ROY............................. 73 36 72 41 / 0 0 0 0
CONCHAS......................... 80 39 81 45 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA ROSA...................... 75 39 77 46 / 0 0 0 0
TUCUMCARI....................... 82 41 83 48 / 0 0 0 0
CLOVIS.......................... 84 45 82 49 / 0 0 0 0
PORTALES........................ 85 45 83 49 / 0 0 0 0
FORT SUMNER..................... 81 41 83 48 / 0 0 0 0
ROSWELL......................... 88 50 86 52 / 0 0 0 0
PICACHO......................... 80 46 81 49 / 0 0 0 0
ELK............................. 79 44 78 47 / 0 0 0 0
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR NMZ104-106-109-121>126.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR NMZ221-223-229-233.
SHORT TERM...44
LONG TERM....44
AVIATION...44
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page