246  
FXUS65 KABQ 020750  
AFDABQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM  
150 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
   
..NEW SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, FIRE WEATHER
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
UPDATED AT 1231 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
 
- MONSOON MOISTURE REMAINS OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW  
MEXICO TODAY AND THURSDAY, ALLOWING FOR GREATER COVERAGE OF  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE WILL  
BE EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCING STORMS WHICH WILL INCREASE THE RISK  
OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING, ESPECIALLY OVER RECENT  
BURN SCARS.  
 
- DRIER AIR SWEEPS IN BY THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY AND SATURDAY,  
LIMITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE  
RAIN CHANCES RISE AGAIN ON SUNDAY.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT)  
ISSUED AT 1231 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
 
THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN IS DEFINED BY AN UPSTREAM LOW MOVING  
INLAND OVER CA WHILE A WEAK INVERTED TROUGH CONTINUES TO FIZZLE  
AND LOSE DEFINITION AS IT CREEPS NORTHWARD INTO NM. THE LATTER  
WILL NOT PRODUCE MUCH IN THE WAY OF STRONG LARGE SCALE ASCENT, BUT  
IT HAS PRODUCED INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND PERIODIC LIGHT SHOWER  
ACTIVITY THAT IS CURRENTLY OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF NM  
WHICH WILL LIKELY PERSIST. THIS SHIELD OF CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP  
FORECAST UNCERTAINTY ELEVATED FOR THIS AREA, AS INSTABILITY MAY BE  
TOO LOW TO SUPPORT MUCH IN THE WAY OF DEEP, MOIST CONVECTION AND  
INSTEAD MORE IN THE WAY OF WEAKER SHOWERS OR EVEN STRATIFORM RAIN.  
AS YOU GET FARTHER WEST TOWARDS THE SACRAMENTOS (ON THE PROJECTED  
WESTERN EDGE OF THE CLOUD SHIELD), THE EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW IS  
PROJECTED TO START VEERING MORE SOUTHEASTERLY INTO THE EARLY  
AFTERNOON. A FEW CAMS (FV3, HRRR, AND RRFS) ARE SHOWING DIRECT  
HITS BY CONVECTIVE CELLS ON THE LINCOLN COUNTY BURN SCARS BY EARLY  
AFTERNOON. DESPITE THE CONDITIONAL UNCERTAINTY OF INSTABILITY  
LISTED ABOVE, THERE SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH SIGNALS POINTING TOWARD  
HIGHER RISK OF BURN SCAR FLOODING, SO A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE  
ISSUED FOR THE SACRAMENTO COMPLEX FOR TODAY. ELSEWHERE OVER THE  
COUNTY WARNING AREA, THERE IS A SUBTLE GRADIENT OF DRIER AIR AND  
LOWER PWATS WITH THE NORTHWESTERN THIRD OF NM SHOWING LOWER VALUES  
AROUND 0.7 TO 0.9 INCH WITH VALUES TRENDING HIGHER SOUTHEASTWARD  
OVER 1.0 TO 1.6 INCHES (HIGHEST IN SOUTHEAST NM). THIS GRADIENT  
STRETCHING FROM SOUTHWESTERN NM TO NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN  
AREAS MAY BE A TRIGGER FOR A FEW STORMS, BUT OVERALL INSTABILITY  
IS PROJECTED TO BE LOW IN THESE AREAS WITH CAPE GENERALLY STAYING  
BELOW 500 J/KG WITHOUT MUCH IN THE WAY OF SIGNIFICANT OTHER  
TRIGGERS. TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE MAY HAVE TRENDED UP A BIT (EXCEPT  
THE SOUTHEASTERNMOST ZONES) FOR THIS AFTERNOON, BUT MOST AREAS  
WILL REMAIN 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.  
 
INTO TONIGHT, THE CA LOW WILL BE SHIFTING EASTWARD AS AN OPEN  
SHORTWAVE WITH A PRECEDING WAVE MAKING ITS WAY NEAR THE NM-AZ  
BORDER AFTER MIDNIGHT. THIS LOOKS TO INDUCE MODEST WARM AIR  
ADVECTION WITH WINDS ALOFT TURNING SOUTHERLY AHEAD OF THE WAVE,  
AND MOST MODELS INDICATE NOCTURNAL SHOWER AND ISOLATED STORM  
ACTIVITY PERSISTING TONIGHT, MAINLY OVER SOUTHERN ZONES. THIS  
ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY EVEN SURVIVE INTO THE MID TO LATE MORNING  
THURSDAY. BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, THE INITIAL PRECEDING SHORTWAVE  
WILL BE MOVING INTO CENTRAL TO NORTH CENTRAL NM WITH THE STRONGER  
LAGGING PERTURBATION MOVING INTO NORTHERN AZ. THIS WILL INCREASE  
FORCING WITH BETTER INSTABILITY DEVELOPING BETWEEN THE CONTINENTAL  
DIVIDE AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN OF NM THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  
THIS SHOULD YIELD A MORE PRODUCTIVE CROP OF DEEP MOIST CONVECTION  
WITH STORMS PRODUCING HEAVIER RAINFALL RATES. STORM MOTIONS COULD  
TREND UP FOR A FEW CELLS AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE, BUT AN ISOLATED  
HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT WILL BE PRESENT WITH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN  
CHAIN POTENTIALLY OBSERVING REPETITIVE TRAINING OF CELLS FOR A  
COUPLE TO A FEW HOURS. TEMPERATURES WOULD STAY BELOW NORMAL  
THURSDAY. BY THURSDAY EVENING, STORMS WOULD MOSTLY SHIFT INTO THE  
EASTERN PLAINS WITH MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY ENDING BY MIDNIGHT AS  
DRIER AIR SWEEPS IN BEHIND THE PASSING SHORTWAVE.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM
 
 
(FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1231 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
 
THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY WILL TURN MUCH DRIER, AS PWATS WILL  
HAVE PLUMMETED BEHIND THE PACIFIC SHORTWAVE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO  
FRIDAY MORNING. ANY CELLS THAT MIGHT STRUGGLE TO DEVELOP WOULD  
MOST LIKELY BE OVER THE NORTHERN SANGRES OR THE SOUTHWESTERN  
MOUNTAINS, BUT THIS ACTIVITY WOULD BE VERY HIGH-BASED, LIKELY ONLY  
PRODUCING VIRGA AND GUSTY WINDS. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO TREND  
HOTTER ON THE FOURTH WITH MANY LOCATIONS REACHING THE 90'S. MOSTLY  
DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL INTO SATURDAY AS THE MONSOON HIGH RE-  
ESTABLISHES ITS RESIDENCE OVER NM. DRY AIR WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED  
OVER MUCH OF THE STATE, BUT FORECAST MODELS HAVE RETAINED  
EXCELLENT CONTINUITY, BRINGING IN A MOIST BACKDOOR FRONT TO  
NORTHEASTERN AREAS THAT WILL HELP STORMS INITIATE IN THIS CORNER  
OF THE STATE. THE BOUNDARY WOULD PROGRESS SOUTHWESTWARD INTO  
SUNDAY MORNING, DISTRIBUTING LOW LAYER MOISTURE FARTHER INTO THE  
INTERIOR OF NM. THIS WILL BOOST CONVECTIVE CHANCES FOR SUNDAY,  
MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN, BUT DIFFUSE  
SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE WILL ALSO BEGIN SNEAKING NORTHWARD BENEATH  
THE MONSOON HIGH. PWATS WILL TREND UPWARD INTO MONDAY, HOLDING  
INTO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. THE DEEPEST MOISTURE  
(PWATS GREATER THAN 1.0 INCH) WOULD TEND TO STAY OVER THE SOUTHERN  
AND EASTERN TIERS OF NM, BUT EVEN NORTHWESTERN AREAS LOOK TO  
REMAIN ABOVE 0.75 INCH PWAT. THIS SHOULD YIELD A FAIRLY  
CLIMATOLOGICAL STORM DISTRIBUTION WITH SCATTERED CELLS FAVORING  
THE SOUTHWESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS EACH DAY MONDAY THROUGH  
WEDNESDAY.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(06Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 1231 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
 
LOW STRATUS CLOUDS WITH MVFR (LESS THAN 3,000 FT) TO IFR (LESS  
THAN 1,000 FT) CEILINGS WILL BE THE PRIMARY AVIATION CONCERN  
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS, MAINLY OVER SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO  
AND ALSO A FEW CENTRAL TO EAST CENTRAL AREAS. A FEW BRIEF LIGHT TO  
MODERATE SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE FOUND IN THESE AREAS THROUGH THE  
MORNING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP MORE INTO THE  
AFTERNOON, PARTICULARLY OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL  
MOUNTAINS WHERE HEAVIER DOWNPOURS, GUSTY DOWNBURST WINDS, AND  
SMALL HAIL WILL BE OBSERVED BRIEFLY. WHILE MUCH OF THE STORM  
ACTIVITY WILL DIE OFF THIS EVENING, A FEW PERSISTENT SHOWERS WILL  
KEEP REDEVELOPING TONIGHT, GENERALLY FOCUSED IN THE SOUTHERN HALF  
OF NEW MEXICO. BATCHES OF LOW MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS WILL ACCOMPANY  
THIS SHOWER ACTIVITY IN SOUTHERN AREAS TONIGHT.  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
ISSUED AT 1231 AM MDT WED JUL 2 2025  
 
MONSOON MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO EXCELLENT HUMIDITY RECOVERY THROUGH  
DAWN TODAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL  
ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING, BUT SOME MAY  
STRUGGLE. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE AREA FOR SOAKING RAINFALL WILL BE  
IN THE SOUTHWESTERN MOUNTAINS WITH WETTING RAIN FOOTPRINTS  
TURNING MORE SPOTTY FARTHER NORTHEASTWARD. PERSISTENT SHOWERS  
TONIGHT IN SOUTHERN ZONES AND LINGERING MOISTURE WILL BRING  
ANOTHER MORNING OF EXCELLENT HUMIDITY RECOVERY ON THURSDAY. THIS  
WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MORE VIGOROUS THUNDERSTORMS, CONCENTRATING  
BETWEEN THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN  
THURSDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE MOVING INTO EASTERN NM DURING THE  
EVENING. THE MONSOON WILL TAKE A BRIEF HIATUS ON THE FOURTH OF  
JULY WITH MINIMAL STORM ACTIVITY BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.  
HUMIDITY WILL BOTTOM OUT BELOW 15 PERCENT IN MUCH OF WESTERN AND  
CENTRAL NM BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THE EXCEPTION FOR STORMS WILL  
BE IN NORTHEASTERN NM SATURDAY AS MOISTURE RECHARGES VIA A  
BACKDOOR FRONT. THE MOISTURE WILL PROGRESS OVER MORE OF EASTERN NM  
INTO SUNDAY WITH STORMS INCREASING AGAIN. A MORE TYPICAL MONSOON  
PATTERN WILL THEN SET UP MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK  
WITH DAILY ROUNDS OF SCATTERED STORMS, MAINLY OVER THE  
SOUTHWESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS WITH LESSER ACTIVITY IN  
BETWEEN.  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
 
 
FARMINGTON...................... 91 63 87 60 / 10 40 30 20  
DULCE........................... 87 49 83 46 / 30 40 50 20  
CUBA............................ 83 55 81 54 / 30 50 50 30  
GALLUP.......................... 85 53 82 49 / 50 50 40 20  
EL MORRO........................ 81 54 78 52 / 50 50 60 20  
GRANTS.......................... 84 54 81 52 / 40 50 60 30  
QUEMADO......................... 82 57 79 55 / 60 60 50 20  
MAGDALENA....................... 78 60 79 60 / 40 50 60 30  
DATIL........................... 78 55 76 55 / 60 60 60 30  
RESERVE......................... 86 54 83 50 / 70 60 50 20  
GLENWOOD........................ 89 57 88 56 / 70 60 50 20  
CHAMA........................... 80 46 76 45 / 30 40 50 30  
LOS ALAMOS...................... 79 59 78 58 / 40 40 60 40  
PECOS........................... 77 56 78 55 / 50 50 60 50  
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 81 54 80 52 / 30 30 60 30  
RED RIVER....................... 73 45 70 45 / 30 30 60 40  
ANGEL FIRE...................... 75 41 73 42 / 40 30 60 30  
TAOS............................ 82 53 81 50 / 30 30 60 30  
MORA............................ 75 48 75 49 / 40 40 60 40  
ESPANOLA........................ 87 60 86 58 / 30 30 60 40  
SANTA FE........................ 80 59 81 58 / 40 50 60 40  
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 83 59 84 58 / 40 40 60 40  
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 86 66 87 65 / 40 50 60 40  
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 87 65 88 64 / 30 50 50 30  
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 89 65 91 63 / 30 40 40 30  
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 88 65 88 65 / 30 40 50 30  
BELEN........................... 88 64 88 62 / 30 40 40 30  
BERNALILLO...................... 89 64 90 63 / 30 40 50 30  
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 88 63 90 61 / 30 40 50 30  
CORRALES........................ 90 65 91 64 / 30 40 50 30  
LOS LUNAS....................... 88 64 89 63 / 30 40 50 30  
PLACITAS........................ 84 63 85 63 / 40 50 50 30  
RIO RANCHO...................... 88 64 89 64 / 30 40 50 30  
SOCORRO......................... 89 66 89 65 / 40 50 50 30  
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 80 57 80 57 / 40 50 60 40  
TIJERAS......................... 81 59 82 59 / 40 50 60 40  
EDGEWOOD........................ 81 55 81 55 / 50 50 60 40  
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 81 54 82 53 / 50 50 60 40  
CLINES CORNERS.................. 74 55 75 55 / 50 50 60 50  
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 78 56 80 55 / 50 50 60 50  
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 77 57 79 55 / 60 50 60 40  
CARRIZOZO....................... 78 61 81 61 / 70 60 60 40  
RUIDOSO......................... 70 54 72 57 / 70 60 70 40  
CAPULIN......................... 77 54 77 54 / 20 30 50 40  
RATON........................... 81 55 81 53 / 20 20 50 30  
SPRINGER........................ 82 57 82 55 / 30 30 50 40  
LAS VEGAS....................... 76 54 78 54 / 40 40 60 40  
CLAYTON......................... 82 60 82 62 / 20 20 30 40  
ROY............................. 78 59 78 59 / 30 40 50 40  
CONCHAS......................... 83 64 85 64 / 40 50 50 50  
SANTA ROSA...................... 77 62 80 62 / 50 50 50 50  
TUCUMCARI....................... 80 62 82 64 / 40 50 40 50  
CLOVIS.......................... 78 64 81 65 / 60 50 40 50  
PORTALES........................ 78 63 83 65 / 60 50 40 50  
FORT SUMNER..................... 80 64 82 64 / 50 50 50 50  
ROSWELL......................... 79 67 83 67 / 60 60 50 40  
PICACHO......................... 75 61 78 61 / 70 60 60 40  
ELK............................. 73 57 78 58 / 70 60 60 40  
 

 
   
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
FLOOD WATCH FROM 11 AM MDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR  
NMZ226.  
 

 
 

 
 
SHORT TERM...52  
LONG TERM....52  
AVIATION...52  
 
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