765  
ACUS01 KWNS 231958  
SWODY1  
SPC AC 231956  
 
DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0256 PM CDT FRI OCT 23 2026  
 
VALID 232000Z - 241200Z  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS  
AFTERNOON/EVENING FOR CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS...  
   
..SUMMARY  
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL, DAMAGING GUSTS, AND AN  
ISOLATED TORNADO ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF NEW MEXICO,  
SOUTHERN COLORADO, AND FAR WEST TEXAS TODAY INTO TONIGHT.  
   
..20Z UPDATE  
 
LATEST HRRR/RRFS TLE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT A LOCALLY MORE FAVORABLE  
CORRIDOR FOR LEFT-SPLIT SUPERCELLS MAY MANIFEST ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
CENTRAL/EAST-CENTRAL NM TO THE NORTH OF ONGOING CONVECTIVE  
DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS. GIVEN THE RISK FOR LARGE  
TO VERY LARGE HAIL LIKELY TO ACCOMPANY PERSISTENT, LEFT-SPLIT  
SUPERCELLS, THE EXISTING CIG1 GROUP FOR HAIL WAS EXPANDED EASTWARD  
ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL/EASTERN NEW MEXICO TO CAPTURE THIS  
CORRIDOR. NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE EXISTING OUTLOOK WITH  
THIS UPDATE AS THE FORECAST REMAINS GENERALLY ON TRACK. SEE THE  
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.  
 
..CHALMERS.. 10/23/2026  
   
PREV DISCUSSION  
/ISSUED 1130 AM CDT FRI OCT 23 2026/  
   
..NM AND FAR WEST TX THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY TONIGHT  
 
AN INITIAL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO EJECT  
NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD OVER WY AS AN UPSTREAM WAVE EVOLVES INTO A NEW  
CLOSED LOW OVER THE LOWER CO RIVER VALLEY. A SURFACE CYCLONE WILL  
DEVELOP FROM EASTERN MT INTO MB IN ADVANCE OF THE LEAD SHORTWAVE  
TROUGH, WITH A TRAILING BAROCLINIC ZONE ACROSS CO/NORTHWEST NM AND  
CENTRAL AZ. A MOISTURE PLUME PERSISTS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF THE  
BAROCLINIC ZONE, WITH THE MOST FAVORABLE MOISTURE PROFILES FOR  
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING ACROSS NM.  
 
FORCING FOR ASCENT WILL BE RELATIVELY WEAK ACROSS NM THIS AFTERNOON,  
SO SURFACE HEATING AND TERRAIN INFLUENCES WILL DRIVE WIDELY  
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT BY EARLY-MID AFTERNOON AS  
TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE 60S AND 70S (DEPENDING ON ELEVATION).  
OBSERVED BOUNDARY-LAYER DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW-MID 50S AND THE WARMING  
TEMPERATURES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MLCAPE IN THE 1000-1500 J/KG WITH  
MINIMAL CONVECTIVE INHIBITION. LONG, STRAIGHT HODOGRAPHS WILL  
PERSIST BENEATH A BELT OF ENHANCED MID-UPPER FLOW AND WILL FAVOR  
SUPERCELLS THIS AFTERNOON IN NM, WITH SOME POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH INTO  
SMALL CLUSTERS/LINE SEGMENTS. LARGE HAIL AND OCCASIONAL SEVERE  
OUTFLOW GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE PRIMARY THREATS, THOUGH AN  
ISOLATED TORNADO MAY ALSO OCCUR. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL PEAK LATE  
AFTERNOON AND DIMINISH BY EARLY TONIGHT.  
 
 
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