246
FXUS65 KABQ 221200 AAA
AFDABQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
600 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
..NEW AVIATION
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 536 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
- UNPRECEDENTED HEAT FOR MARCH WILL CONTINUE TODAY, RESULTING IN
A RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS FOR THOSE MOST SENSITIVE TO HEAT.
ADDITIONAL RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR TUESDAY THROUGH
THURSDAY.
- AN HOUR OR TWO OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL INCREASE
THE RISK OF RAPID FIRE SPREAD ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS
AFTERNOON.
- EAST WIND GUSTS BELOW CANYONS OPENING INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY
TONIGHT WILL PRODUCE CROSSWINDS UP TO 45 MPH ON NORTH-TO-SOUTH
ROADS FROM SANTA FE TO ALBUQUERQUE, INCLUDING I-25.
SHORT TERM
(TODAY THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 109 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
IN THE WAKE OF DISTURBANCES THAT CROSSED THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
ROCKIES SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT, A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL
DIVE SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH EASTERN NM TODAY, WHILE A NORTHWESTERLY
WIND SHIFT OCCURS FARTHER WEST. THIS WILL ALLOW HIGH TEMPERATURES
TODAY TO FALL A FEW TO 7 DEGREES FROM SATURDAY'S READINGS, EXCEPT
UP TO 20 DEGREES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF NM. NONETHELESS,
NUMEROUS DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN BE BROKEN
TODAY OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS, AND POTENTIALLY SOUTHEAST
AREAS DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF THE FRONT. SOME MODELS SHOW THE
FRONT REACHING ROSWELL AS EARLY AS 18Z TODAY, WHILE OTHERS SLOW
THE ARRIVAL UNTIL 02Z OR SO THIS EVENING. THE MOST LIKELY ARRIVAL
TIME WILL BE LATE THIS AFTERNOON, BUT NOT BEFORE ROSWELL TIES
IT'S ALL TIME RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH,
WHICH WAS 98 DEGREES SET JUST YESTERDAY (SATURDAY). THE FRONT WILL
PRODUCE PEAK NORTHEAST WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH ON THE EASTERN
PLAINS TODAY, THEN GAP WIND GUSTS FROM 35-45 MPH IN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY FROM SANTA FE SOUTHWARD TONIGHT.
THE COOLING TREND WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY MOST PLACES,
ESPECIALLY ON THE EASTERN PLAINS. HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE
EAST ON MONDAY WILL VARY FROM A FEW TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE 1991-2020
AVERAGES, AND AS MUCH AS 20 DEGREES ABOVE THE AVERAGES FARTHER
WEST.
LONG TERM
(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 109 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
ANOTHER STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM ALOFT WILL BUILD BACK OVER
THE SOUTHWEST US TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, THEN BEGIN TO WEAKEN ON
THURSDAY, SENDING HIGH TEMPERATURES SOARING 18-27 DEGREES ABOVE
1991-2020 AVERAGES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AGAIN. NUMEROUS DAILY
RECORDS WILL AGAIN BE SET TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, INCLUDING A
POTENTIAL TIE ON WEDNESDAY OF ALBUQUERQUE'S ALL TIME RECORD
WARMEST MARCH TEMPERATURE OF 91 DEGREES, WHICH WAS SET JUST
YESTERDAY. WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY ON THURSDAY AS A DISTURBANCE
CROSSING THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES STRENGTHENS THE FLOW
ALOFT OVER NM, AND A SURFACE TROUGH DEVELOPS IN THE LEE OF THE
SOUTHERN ROCKIES. ANOTHER GUSTY BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL DIVE
SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT, THROUGH
GAPS IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, AND
ALL THE WAY TO THE AZ BORDER BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH
TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY LOOK TO PLUNGE A FEW TO AROUND 15 DEGREES
FROM THURSDAY'S READINGS ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS, AND AS
MUCH AS 28 DEGREES ACROSS THE EAST. THE ACTIVE STORM TRACK IN
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL NUDGE THE RIDGE AXIS WESTWARD TO THE CA
COAST FRIDAY, BUT MODELS DEPICT THE RIDGE BUILDING BACK OVER NM
AGAIN WITH REBOUNDING TEMPERATURES STARTING SATURDAY. SOME MODELS
SUGGEST THE UPPER HIGH MAY SHIFT FAR ENOUGH EAST ON SATURDAY TO
DRAW SOME SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE NORTHWARD OVER THE FORECAST AREA
WITH ISOLATED, GUSTY, AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS.
AVIATION
(12Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 536 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A GUSTY
BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL DIVE THROUGH THE EASTERN PLAINS WITH A
NORTHEASTERLY WIND SHIFT STARTING BY MID MORNING IN CLAYTON, THEN
THROUGH THE LATE MORNING, AFTERNOON, AND EARLY EVENING ELSEWHERE
EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. PEAK GUSTS ACROSS THE EAST
WILL COMMONLY REACH 30-35 KT, BUT SOME LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS AROUND
40 KT WILL PROBABLY OCCUR. THE FRONT WILL THEN PUSH THROUGH GAPS
IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN WITH A GUSTY EAST WIND BELOW CANYONS
OPENING INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY FROM MID EVENING THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. THE STRONGEST EAST CANYON WIND GUSTS WILL
PROBABLY REACH AROUND 40 KT BELOW TIJERAS CANYON IN ALBUQUERQUE
STARTING AROUND 2200L THIS EVENING, AND ALSO IN CARRIZOZO AFTER
MIDNIGHT.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 109 AM MDT SUN MAR 22 2026
DECIDED TO CANCEL THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR
TODAY ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS, BECAUSE HUMIDITIES WILL CLIMB
RAPIDLY ABOVE 25 PERCENT BEHIND THE FRONT. THERE WILL STILL BE AN
HOUR OR TWO OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
EASTERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON JUST BEFORE AND ALONG THE COLD
FRONT. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ON THE PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. HIGHER HUMIDITIES
ARE FORECAST AREAWIDE ON MONDAY, BUT READINGS WILL STILL FALL
NEAR AND BELOW 15 PERCENT ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS.
HUMIDITIES WILL THEN TREND DOWNWARD AGAIN THROUGH MID WEEK. BREEZY
CONDITIONS WILL REDEVELOP ON THURSDAY WITH WEST AND SOUTHWEST
WIND GUSTS PROBABLY REACHING 35-40 MPH OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN
PARTS OF THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST AREA. WIDESPREAD SINGLE DIGIT
HUMIDITIES ARE ALSO EXPECTED THURSDAY, WITH LOCALLY CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON IN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY.
MOISTURE WITH THURSDAY NIGHT'S BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE
HUMIDITIES TO CLIMB TO AROUND 20 PERCENT EAST OF THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAIN CHAIN ON FRIDAY. SOME MODELS SUGGEST A RETURN FLOW OF
GULF MOISTURE, AND PERHAPS SOME ELEVATED SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE,
WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE HUMIDITIES ON SATURDAY. THIS COULD
RESULT IN ISOLATED, GUSTY, AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WEST
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, BASIN, AND RANGE WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL
PROBABLY STILL BE AROUND 15 DEGREES ABOVE 1991-2020 AVERAGES.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
FARMINGTON...................... 83 42 82 44 / 0 0 0 0
DULCE........................... 79 34 78 36 / 0 0 0 0
CUBA............................ 78 40 77 41 / 0 0 0 0
GALLUP.......................... 82 33 81 34 / 0 0 0 0
EL MORRO........................ 78 37 76 40 / 0 0 0 0
GRANTS.......................... 82 34 81 36 / 0 0 0 0
QUEMADO......................... 80 39 80 41 / 0 0 0 0
MAGDALENA....................... 82 43 79 48 / 0 0 0 0
DATIL........................... 79 40 78 43 / 0 0 0 0
RESERVE......................... 85 39 83 37 / 0 0 0 0
GLENWOOD........................ 89 43 86 41 / 0 0 0 0
CHAMA........................... 74 35 70 37 / 0 0 0 0
LOS ALAMOS...................... 78 46 73 50 / 0 0 0 0
PECOS........................... 79 37 73 43 / 0 0 0 0
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 75 39 71 43 / 0 0 0 0
RED RIVER....................... 65 34 61 40 / 5 0 0 0
ANGEL FIRE...................... 72 25 67 27 / 5 5 0 0
TAOS............................ 79 33 74 35 / 0 0 0 0
MORA............................ 78 35 72 44 / 5 0 0 0
ESPANOLA........................ 84 43 80 43 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE........................ 80 42 73 46 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 84 40 76 42 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 83 48 79 52 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 86 47 81 50 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 88 45 83 48 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 86 48 82 50 / 0 0 0 0
BELEN........................... 89 42 84 44 / 0 0 0 0
BERNALILLO...................... 87 47 81 50 / 0 0 0 0
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 88 42 83 44 / 0 0 0 0
CORRALES........................ 87 47 82 49 / 0 0 0 0
LOS LUNAS....................... 88 44 83 44 / 0 0 0 0
PLACITAS........................ 83 47 78 51 / 0 0 0 0
RIO RANCHO...................... 86 48 81 51 / 0 0 0 0
SOCORRO......................... 91 47 85 49 / 0 0 0 0
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 79 44 74 50 / 0 0 0 0
TIJERAS......................... 80 44 75 50 / 0 0 0 0
EDGEWOOD........................ 82 40 75 47 / 0 0 0 0
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 85 34 77 38 / 0 0 0 0
CLINES CORNERS.................. 80 36 72 45 / 0 0 0 0
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 82 39 77 47 / 0 0 0 0
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 82 41 77 47 / 0 0 0 0
CARRIZOZO....................... 87 47 79 52 / 0 0 0 0
RUIDOSO......................... 81 40 71 51 / 0 0 0 0
CAPULIN......................... 69 32 65 39 / 0 0 0 0
RATON........................... 75 32 70 36 / 0 0 0 0
SPRINGER........................ 81 33 72 36 / 0 0 0 0
LAS VEGAS....................... 81 35 70 43 / 0 0 0 0
CLAYTON......................... 72 35 66 43 / 0 0 0 0
ROY............................. 81 36 66 41 / 0 0 0 0
CONCHAS......................... 89 39 74 42 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA ROSA...................... 88 39 73 44 / 0 0 0 0
TUCUMCARI....................... 87 39 73 45 / 0 0 0 0
CLOVIS.......................... 91 40 72 46 / 0 0 0 0
PORTALES........................ 93 39 74 45 / 0 0 0 0
FORT SUMNER..................... 95 39 74 44 / 0 0 0 0
ROSWELL......................... 98 47 75 47 / 0 0 0 0
PICACHO......................... 92 43 76 50 / 0 0 0 0
ELK............................. 90 40 77 49 / 0 0 0 0
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
SHORT TERM...44
LONG TERM....44
AVIATION...44
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