714  
FXUS65 KABQ 221830  
AFDABQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM  
1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
   
..NEW SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, FIRE WEATHER
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
UPDATED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
 
- ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL FOCUS  
ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN AND WESTERN HIGH TERRAIN TODAY WHERE  
STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS AND BRIEF RAIN ARE POSSIBLE.  
 
- MODERATE HEAT RISK WILL IMPACT LOWER ELEVATIONS OF CENTRAL AND  
WESTERN NM TODAY WITH MAJOR HEAT RISK POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FOUR  
CORNERS REGION.  
 
- A PATTERN CHANGE TOWARD WETTER AND COOLER CONDITIONS IS BECOMING  
MORE LIKELY FOR NORTHERN NM SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY, EXPANDING  
TO THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)  
ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
 
A 595 TO 596 DAM UPPER HIGH REMAINS CENTERED OVER FAR SOUTHWEST UT  
THIS AFTERNOON. THE CLOCKWISE FLOW AROUND THE UPPER HIGH HAS ALLOWED  
DRIER MID LEVEL AIR TO MAKE EVEN MORE PROGRESS INTO CENTRAL AND  
WESTERN NM WITH HIGHER MID LEVEL MOISTURE MAINLY CONFINED TO  
NORTHWEST NM AND THE EASTERN EDGE OF THIS HIGHER MID LEVEL MOISTURE  
ALONG A LINE FROM GRANTS TO TAOS. ISOLATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM  
ACTIVITY WILL BE MOSTLY CONFINED TO THIS AFOREMENTIONED SECTION OF  
THE STATE. A SHORTWAVE ROTATING AROUND THE UPPER HIGH WILL RESULT IN  
A GREATER COVERAGE OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE ACROSS THE CO  
ROCKIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL SPILL OVER INTO  
THE SOUTHERN SAN JUAN AND TUSAS MOUNTAINS AND NEARBY HIGHLANDS,  
INCLUDING CHAMA AND DULCE THIS EVENING. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS  
AFTERNOON WILL BE SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY WITH LOW TO MID 90S COMMON  
ACROSS LOWER ELEVATIONS. A MODERATE RISK FOR HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES  
WILL EXIST FOR SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE AND LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST  
WITH LOCALIZED AREAS IN THE NAVAJO NATION AND NORTHWEST PLATEAU,  
INCLUDING FARMINGTON, UNDER A MAJOR RISK FOR HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES.  
ANY SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS NORTHWEST AND FAR NORTH  
CENTRAL NM THIS EVENING WILL TAPER OFF BEFORE MIDNIGHT WITH  
LINGERING MID-LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND WESTERN NM OVERNIGHT.  
 
THE 500 MB UPPER HIGH MEANDERS SOUTHEAST FROM UT/AZ BORDER TO THE  
HEART OF THE NAVAJO NATION SATURDAY. CONVECTION OVER COLORADO THIS  
EVENING AND THE AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVE SLIDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS  
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ROCKIES ALONG THE NORTHWEST FLANK OF THE  
UPPER HIGH, WILL HELP PUSH A BACKDOOR FRONT THROUGH NORTHEAST NM TO  
THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS SATURDAY MORNING.  
HIGHER PWATS OF 1 TO 1.3 INCHES BEHIND THE BACKDOOR FRONT ALONG WITH  
UPSLOPE FLOW WILL HELP RESULT IN A BETTER COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NEARBY LOWER  
ELEVATIONS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH THIS, A FLASH FLOOD  
WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ZONES CONTAINING THE HPCC BURN SCAR  
DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF BURN SCAR FLASH FLOODING FROM STORMS  
RESULTING IN RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AND HOUR. A BETTER  
COVERAGE OF SHOWER AND STORMS WILL ALSO OCCUR ACROSS THE WEST  
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS DUE TO HIGHER MID LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THIS PART  
OF THE STATE. AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF I-25 AND ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-  
40 WILL SEE VERY LITTLE TO NO SHOWER AND STORM ACTIVITY DUE TO THE  
MUCH DRIER MID LEVEL AIR REMAINING IN PLACE. STORMS ACROSS THE  
CHUSKAS AND SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILL HELP RESULT IN SOME COLLIDING  
OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES, ADDITIONAL STORM DEVELOPMENT AND MUCH NEEDED  
RAINFALL OVER THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU, INCLUDING FARMINGTON, SATURDAY  
EVENING. SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS NORTHERN AND NORTHWEST NM WILL  
SLOWLY TAPER OFF SATURDAY NIGHT LINGERING LONGEST IN THE FOUR  
CORNERS AREA. FINALLY, THE CONVECTION ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS  
WILL HELP PUSH THE BACKDOOR FRONT ACROSS NORTHEAST NM THROUGH THE  
GAPS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN RESULTING IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF  
GUSTY EAST CANYON WINDS FOR THE ABQ METRO SATURDAY EVENING.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM
 
 
(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
 
THE UPPER HIGH OVER THE AZ/NM BORDER CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WEAKEN AND  
STRETCH SOUTHWEST TOWARDS THE TX BIG BEND SUNDAY DUE TO AN  
UNSEASONABLY STRONG UPPER LOW DIGGING SOUTH OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND  
BROAD TROUGHING ACROSS THE EASTERN 2/3RDS OF THE CONTINENTAL U.S.  
EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES AMONG THE NORTHWEST FLOW BETWEEN THE UPPER HIGH  
AND THE BROAD TROUGHING WILL KEEP A HIGHER COVERAGE OF SHOWER AND  
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-40. DRIER MID  
LEVEL AIR SOUTH OF I-40 AND EAST OF I-25 WILL HELP RESULT IN LITTLE  
TO NO SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. HEADING INTO THE NEXT WORK  
WEEK, EXTENDED ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE DEPICTS A FURTHER WEAKENING AND  
STRETCHING OF THE UPPER HIGH ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS DUE TO A  
REINFORCING SHORTWAVE ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE BROAD LONGWAVE  
TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN 2/3RDS OF THE U.S ALONG WITH A WEAK UPPER  
LOW APPROACHING THE CA COAST. THIS SHORTWAVE WILL SEND A MUCH  
STRONGER BACKDOOR FRONT THROUGH NORTHEAST NM MONDAY AFTERNOON,  
BEFORE PUSHING THROUGH ALL OF EASTERN NM MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY  
MORNING. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN LIMITED ACROSS  
MAINLY NORTHERN AND WESTERN NM MONDAY DUE TO THE DRIER MID LEVEL AIR  
HOLDING ON ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NM. HOWEVER, HIGHER MOISTURE  
BEHIND THE BACKDOOR FRONT ALONG WITH BETTER MONSOON MOISTURE AHEAD  
OF THE BAGGY UPPER LOW JUST WEST OFF THE CA COASTLINE WILL HELP  
RESULT IN WIDESPREAD SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE TO MOST OF THE  
FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. PWATS WILL BE AROUND 1 TO  
1.3 INCHES ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NM AND 1.3 TO 1.5 INCHES  
ACROSS EASTERN NM WHICH IS AROUND THE 90TH PERCENTILE TO MAX FOR  
LATE AUGUST. THE HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES WILL  
EXIST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NM, DUE TO THESE PARTS OF  
THE STATE HAVING MORE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM  
ACTIVITY. THE REST OF THE STATE WILL GENERALLY SEE 0.5 TO 2 INCHES  
DUE TO GETTING INTO THE ACTION A FEW DAYS LATER THAN NORTHERN NM.  
FINALLY, THE BACKDOOR FRONT AND LOWERING HEIGHTS WILL ALSO ALLOW  
TEMPERATURES TO COOL DOWN TO BELOW AVERAGE ACROSS NORTHERN NM MONDAY  
AND AREAWIDE BY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. PROBABILISTIC TEMPERATURE  
GUIDANCE STILL DEPICTS A 50 TO 70% CHANCE OF HIGH TEMPERATURES BELOW  
70 DEGREES ACROSS THE FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS, INCLUDING CLAYTON, ON  
TUESDAY! THESE LOWER TEMPERATURES WILL PLAY A ROLE IN AVAILABLE  
INSTABILITY AND THUS HEAVIER RAINFALL RATES AND RESULTANT FLASH  
FLOODING RISK, BUT THE REPEATED ROUNDS COULD COUNTERACT THIS EFFECT.  
WIDESPREAD 70S AND LOW TO MID 80S ARE FORECASTED ACROSS NORTHERN AND  
CENTRAL NM ON WEDNESDAY.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(18Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
 
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS  
THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF FAR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST NM EARLY THIS  
AFTERNOON WITH THIS ACTIVITY MOVING TO THE WEST-SOUTHWEST INTO  
NEARBY LOWER ELEVATIONS LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MID THIS  
EVENING. WETTING RAINFALL WILL BE LIMITED TO THE PEAKS OF THE TUSAS,  
CHUSKAS, AND JEMEZ MOUNTAINS WITH SOME GUSTY WINDS OF UP TO 40 KTS  
POSSIBLE AT KFMN AND KGUP. LIGHT WINDS WITH LINGERING MID LEVEL  
CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND WESTERN NM OVERNIGHT INTO TOMORROW  
MORNING.  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI AUG 22 2025  
 
SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE LIMITED TO FAR WESTERN  
AND NORTH CENTRAL NM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HIGHER SHOWER AND  
STORM COVERAGE ALONG AND NORTH OF I-40 AND ALONG AND WEST OF I-25  
SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY DUE TO DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS BETWEEN  
THE WEAKENING UPPER HIGH ACROSS ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO AND BROAD  
UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING ACROSS THE EASTERN 2/3RD OF THE CONTINENTAL  
U.S. HIGHER SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE EVENTUALLY EXPANDS TO  
THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY NEXT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY DUE  
TO HIGHER MOISTURE BEHIND A STRONG BACKDOOR FRONT AND A  
TRADITIONAL MONSOON FLOW AHEAD OF A WEAK UPPER LOW OFF THE COAST  
OF CALIFORNIA. REPEATED ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL INCREASE THE  
FLASH FLOODING RISK FIRST ACROSS NORTHERN NM BEFORE EXPANDING  
AREAWIDE BEGINNING TUESDAY. GENERALIZED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 5  
INCHES IS EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND THROUGH MID NEXT WEEK ACROSS  
NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO WITH GENERALIZED AMOUNTS OF  
0.5 TO 2 INCHES ACROSS THE REST OF THE STATE EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO COOL DOWN TO BELOW NORMAL READINGS EARLY TO  
MID NEXT WEEK.  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
 
 
FARMINGTON...................... 67 94 67 88 / 30 40 70 40  
DULCE........................... 52 89 52 85 / 50 80 80 70  
CUBA............................ 59 87 57 84 / 40 50 60 60  
GALLUP.......................... 57 89 57 85 / 30 60 60 60  
EL MORRO........................ 58 85 57 83 / 20 60 60 70  
GRANTS.......................... 59 89 58 85 / 20 50 50 70  
QUEMADO......................... 58 86 59 84 / 10 50 40 50  
MAGDALENA....................... 62 87 62 85 / 5 20 10 30  
DATIL........................... 56 84 57 83 / 5 30 20 40  
RESERVE......................... 56 91 56 90 / 10 40 20 30  
GLENWOOD........................ 60 93 60 93 / 5 30 10 20  
CHAMA........................... 51 82 49 80 / 50 90 80 90  
LOS ALAMOS...................... 62 83 60 82 / 30 60 50 70  
PECOS........................... 56 81 55 82 / 10 40 40 50  
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 54 81 53 80 / 40 90 70 80  
RED RIVER....................... 47 70 45 70 / 40 90 70 80  
ANGEL FIRE...................... 41 73 41 74 / 20 80 60 80  
TAOS............................ 55 83 53 82 / 30 80 70 70  
MORA............................ 51 75 49 78 / 10 60 50 60  
ESPANOLA........................ 62 91 60 89 / 30 60 50 50  
SANTA FE........................ 61 84 60 83 / 20 40 40 40  
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 60 88 59 87 / 20 30 40 30  
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 69 91 68 89 / 10 20 30 30  
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 68 93 67 91 / 10 10 20 20  
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 68 96 67 93 / 10 10 20 20  
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 67 93 67 91 / 10 20 30 20  
BELEN........................... 64 95 64 93 / 5 10 10 10  
BERNALILLO...................... 66 94 66 92 / 10 20 30 30  
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 64 95 63 93 / 5 10 10 10  
CORRALES........................ 66 95 66 93 / 10 20 30 20  
LOS LUNAS....................... 64 95 64 93 / 5 10 10 10  
PLACITAS........................ 66 90 65 88 / 10 20 30 30  
RIO RANCHO...................... 67 94 66 92 / 10 20 30 20  
SOCORRO......................... 66 96 66 94 / 0 5 5 10  
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 61 86 60 85 / 10 20 20 30  
TIJERAS......................... 62 87 62 85 / 10 20 20 30  
EDGEWOOD........................ 57 88 57 87 / 5 10 20 20  
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 54 88 54 88 / 5 10 10 20  
CLINES CORNERS.................. 57 81 57 80 / 0 10 20 10  
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 58 86 57 85 / 5 10 5 20  
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 58 85 57 84 / 0 5 0 10  
CARRIZOZO....................... 62 88 61 85 / 0 0 0 10  
RUIDOSO......................... 56 79 55 78 / 0 5 0 10  
CAPULIN......................... 55 75 54 79 / 10 60 60 50  
RATON........................... 55 79 53 83 / 10 70 60 60  
SPRINGER........................ 55 83 55 85 / 10 60 50 40  
LAS VEGAS....................... 53 80 53 81 / 5 50 40 40  
CLAYTON......................... 61 85 61 87 / 5 20 30 20  
ROY............................. 57 83 58 83 / 5 30 40 20  
CONCHAS......................... 62 90 64 91 / 0 20 30 10  
SANTA ROSA...................... 61 87 62 86 / 0 10 20 10  
TUCUMCARI....................... 60 87 62 87 / 0 10 20 0  
CLOVIS.......................... 63 91 64 90 / 0 5 5 0  
PORTALES........................ 62 92 63 91 / 0 0 5 5  
FORT SUMNER..................... 63 90 64 89 / 0 5 10 0  
ROSWELL......................... 66 93 67 93 / 0 0 0 0  
PICACHO......................... 60 88 60 88 / 0 0 0 5  
ELK............................. 57 85 56 85 / 0 0 0 5  
 

 
   
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
FLOOD WATCH FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR  
NMZ214-215-229.  
 

 
 

 
 
SHORT TERM...71  
LONG TERM....71  
AVIATION...71  
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab NM Page Main Text Page