126
FXUS65 KABQ 241733 AAA
AFDABQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1133 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
..NEW AVIATION
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 1133 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
- RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY WITH A MINOR
RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS.
- LOW HUMIDITY VALUES COMBINED WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL RESULT
IN A RISK FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN THURSDAY.
- A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL BRING COOLER TEMPERATURES AND STRONG
NORTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO
FRIDAY AND STRONG EAST CANYON WINDS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
FRIDAY.
- ISOLATED AND GUSTY VIRGA SHOWERS AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS WILL POSE
A RISK OF DRY LIGHTNING AND POTENTIAL FIRE STARTS ALONG WITH
BLOWING DUST FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO SATURDAY INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK.
SHORT TERM
(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 1236 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
RECORD BREAKING WARMTH WILL RETURN AREAWIDE TODAY THROUGH
THURSDAY AS A SUMMER-LIKE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK OVER
THE FORECAST AREA AND HUMIDITIES PLUMMET. THE 500 MB PRESSURE
HEIGHT IS STILL FORECAST TO PEAK AROUND 591 DAM OVER THE NM
BOOTHEEL ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, THEN HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD PEAK
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AROUND 21-28 DEGREES
ABOVE 30-YEAR AVERAGES. IF THE ALBUQUERQUE SUNPORT REACHES THE
FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES ON WEDNESDAY, IT WILL BEAT
THE WARMEST MARCH HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD OF 91 DEGREES THAT THE
SUNPORT SET JUST THIS PAST SUNDAY. MULTIPLE OTHER LOCATIONS MAY
ALSO REACH THEIR RECORD WARMEST MARCH READINGS WEDNESDAY.
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP ON THURSDAY AS
HUMIDITIES BOTTOM OUT IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ALMOST AREAWIDE, AND AS
WIND SPEEDS STRENGTHEN IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
PASSING EASTWARD OVER THE CO/NM BORDER. FURTHER, A LEE-SIDE
SURFACE TROUGH SOUTH OF A ~994 MB SURFACE LOW ON THE NORTHEAST
NM/SOUTHEAST CO BORDER WILL HELP TO PRODUCE WEST AND NORTHWEST
WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF THE SANGRE DE
CRISTO, SANDIA, AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WHERE
THE GREATEST RISK OF RAPID FIRE SPREAD WILL EXIST.
LONG TERM
(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 1236 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
A GUSTY BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL DIVE SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY DRIVEN BY A 1039 MB
SURFACE HIGH ON THE UPPER GREAT PLAINS AND A DEEPENING SURFACE
TROUGH OFF THE SOUTHWEST US COAST. THERE IS AN INCREASING
LIKELIHOOD THAT NORTHEAST WIND GUSTS WILL REACH 50 MPH ON THE FAR
EASTERN PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY, AND FROM 40-50 MPH
BELOW CANYONS OPENING INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY FROM SANTA FE
SOUTHWARD LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A
FEW MODELS FORECAST WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH BELOW TIJERAS CANYON
IN ALBUQUERQUE FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT GIVEN THE LACK OF MODEL
AGREEMENT CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN THAT POSSIBILITY AT THIS TIME. COOL
AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT WILL SEND TEMPERATURES PLUMMETING
AROUND 25 TO 40 DEGREES ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS ON FRIDAY BELOW
THURSDAY'S READINGS, AND A FEW TO 20 DEGREES FARTHER WEST. THE
COOLING TREND WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS
SATURDAY, WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL VARY FROM 4 DEGREES BELOW
30-YEAR AVERAGES ON THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS TO AS MUCH AS 15 DEGREES
ABOVE THE AVERAGES FROM CHAMA TO GALLUP.
HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE MAINLY OVER CENTRAL AND
WESTERN NM SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS THE MID-LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE
CENTER ALOFT RETREATS OVER THE GULF COAST AND THE DEEPENING UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH OFF THE SOUTHWEST US COAST GRADUALLY EXITS INLAND
OVER THE STATE. DRIVEN MAINLY BY THE INCREASED GULF MOISTURE
BEHIND FRIDAY'S BACKDOOR FRONT, ISOLATED AND GUSTY VIRGA SHOWERS
AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALONG AND WEST OF
THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL THEN SLOWLY CROSS FROM THE SOUTHWEST
SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH ELEVATED SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE THAT
WILL SPREAD MAINLY DRY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ONTO THE EASTERN
PLAINS AS WELL. FARTHER WEST, MODELS SUGGEST PWATS MAY ONLY CLIMB
UP TO 0.80" LOCALLY SUNDAY, BEFORE TRENDING DOWNWARD MONDAY,
SUPPORTING A MIX OF WET AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE BEST CHANCE
FOR ANY WETTING PRECIP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE CONTINENTAL
DIVIDE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MEANWHILE, HIGH TEMPERATURES
ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY LOOK TO CLIMB AROUND 6 TO 16 DEGREES ABOVE
30 YEAR AVERAGES.
AVIATION
(18Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 1133 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL. SOME HIGH CLOUDS ALONG AND EAST OF THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN WITH SOME BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS ACROSS
NORTHWEST NM, UPPER RGV, AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS THIS AFTERNOON.
CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT TERRAIN DRIVEN WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 1236 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
WIDESPREAD CRITICALLY LOW HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST TO RETURN TODAY,
THEN MINIMUM HUMIDITIES WILL TREND DOWNWARD INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS
ALMOST AREAWIDE BY THURSDAY. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, WINDY CONDITIONS
WILL ALSO DEVELOP ON THURSDAY WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF THE SANGRE DE
CRISTO, SANDIA, AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS. WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE
WE ARE ISSUING A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR THE SANGRE DE CRISTO
MOUNTAINS, NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, AND THE NORTHEAST
PLAINS THURSDAY. HOWEVER, LOCALLY CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE
FORECAST IN THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, SANDIA AND MANZANO
MOUNTAINS, AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THESE
ZONES WILL PROBABLY WARRANT A FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHT IF WINDS
STRENGTHEN THERE IN FUTURE FORECAST UPDATES. MOISTURE WITH
THURSDAY NIGHT'S BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE HUMIDITIES TO
CLIMB BETWEEN 20-29 PERCENT ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN
CHAIN ON FRIDAY, THEN OVER 15 PERCENT ALMOST AS FAR WEST AS THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON SATURDAY, SETTING THE STAGE FOR ISOLATED AND
GUSTY VIRGA SHOWERS AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAIN CHAIN WESTWARD SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE CHANCE
FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE OVER THE FORECAST
AREA SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OFF THE SOUTHWEST
US COAST EJECTS INLAND, BUT WITH PWATS ONLY CLIMBING LOCALLY UP
TO 0.80" WETTING FOOTPRINTS SHOULD GENERALLY BE ON THE SMALL SIDE
WITH PLENTY OF DRY AND GUSTY THUNDERSTORMS REMAINING IN THE MIX.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
FARMINGTON...................... 85 46 89 44 / 0 0 0 0
DULCE........................... 81 37 86 38 / 0 0 0 0
CUBA............................ 81 43 84 42 / 0 0 0 0
GALLUP.......................... 83 34 87 35 / 0 0 0 0
EL MORRO........................ 80 43 83 41 / 0 0 0 0
GRANTS.......................... 86 39 89 38 / 0 0 0 0
QUEMADO......................... 80 44 85 41 / 0 0 0 0
MAGDALENA....................... 83 53 85 50 / 0 0 0 0
DATIL........................... 80 47 83 45 / 0 0 0 0
RESERVE......................... 89 37 91 34 / 0 0 0 0
GLENWOOD........................ 91 40 94 38 / 0 0 0 0
CHAMA........................... 76 39 80 39 / 0 0 0 0
LOS ALAMOS...................... 81 55 84 55 / 0 0 0 0
PECOS........................... 81 48 85 47 / 0 0 0 0
CERRO/QUESTA.................... 78 43 82 45 / 0 0 0 0
RED RIVER....................... 68 41 72 43 / 0 0 0 0
ANGEL FIRE...................... 76 28 80 30 / 0 0 0 0
TAOS............................ 83 38 87 40 / 0 0 0 0
MORA............................ 82 47 85 47 / 0 0 0 0
ESPANOLA........................ 88 47 91 48 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE........................ 81 52 85 52 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 85 47 88 47 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 87 56 89 56 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 89 53 91 53 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 93 49 94 50 / 0 0 0 0
ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 90 52 92 53 / 0 0 0 0
BELEN........................... 90 46 92 47 / 0 0 0 0
BERNALILLO...................... 90 52 93 53 / 0 0 0 0
BOSQUE FARMS.................... 91 44 93 45 / 0 0 0 0
CORRALES........................ 91 50 93 51 / 0 0 0 0
LOS LUNAS....................... 90 44 92 45 / 0 0 0 0
PLACITAS........................ 85 56 87 56 / 0 0 0 0
RIO RANCHO...................... 90 54 92 55 / 0 0 0 0
SOCORRO......................... 92 55 94 54 / 0 0 0 0
SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 82 54 85 54 / 0 0 0 0
TIJERAS......................... 82 54 85 54 / 0 0 0 0
EDGEWOOD........................ 84 52 88 51 / 0 0 0 0
MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 86 39 90 39 / 0 0 0 0
CLINES CORNERS.................. 82 49 86 49 / 0 0 0 0
MOUNTAINAIR..................... 84 52 87 52 / 0 0 0 0
GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 83 50 87 50 / 0 0 0 0
CARRIZOZO....................... 85 55 91 56 / 0 0 0 0
RUIDOSO......................... 80 54 85 55 / 0 0 0 0
CAPULIN......................... 81 46 85 48 / 0 0 0 0
RATON........................... 86 41 89 41 / 0 0 0 0
SPRINGER........................ 88 41 91 42 / 0 0 0 0
LAS VEGAS....................... 86 48 88 49 / 0 0 0 0
CLAYTON......................... 88 54 91 58 / 0 0 0 0
ROY............................. 87 50 89 50 / 0 0 0 0
CONCHAS......................... 94 47 96 49 / 0 0 0 0
SANTA ROSA...................... 91 52 94 52 / 0 0 0 0
TUCUMCARI....................... 94 48 98 54 / 0 0 0 0
CLOVIS.......................... 95 52 97 54 / 0 0 0 0
PORTALES........................ 94 48 99 51 / 0 0 0 0
FORT SUMNER..................... 95 49 97 50 / 0 0 0 0
ROSWELL......................... 98 52 101 52 / 0 0 0 0
PICACHO......................... 92 55 95 54 / 0 0 0 0
ELK............................. 91 52 94 52 / 0 0 0 0
ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY
EVENING FOR NMZ104-122>126.
SHORT TERM...44
LONG TERM....44
AVIATION...71
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