textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 352 PM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

- Low temperatures in the single digits tonight in the Roswell area will increase the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

- Localized freezing fog tonight in the Pecos River Valley will create reduced visibility on roadways.

- Dry conditions will prevail around the region through the end of the week as temperatures gradually moderate.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 1147 AM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

It's a chilly morning out there with temps still below freezing around the area and teens hanging on across the southeast. High clouds are beginning to clear out so the snow cover underneath can be seen. There won't be too much melting today given that temps will struggle to rise above freezing in portions of the southeast plains. A N/S oriented jet max is punching in from the north today, but the sensible weather impacts won't be much more than a light breeze in the highlands. Given the very low dewpoints, there could be a bit of sublimation in the highlands and east slopes of the Sandia/Manzano mountains as well. Temperatures tonight won't be as cold as the past couple of nights, with lows in most areas within 5 degrees of seasonal averages. The exception will be the southeast plains thanks to the blanket of snow over the region where temps will be 15 to 20 degrees below normal. Given wind chills below 5F in the Roswell area, another Cold Weather Advisory was issued for the Chaves County Plains for tonight into Wednesday morning. Freezing fog may once again develop tonight along the Pecos River valley, with dense fog likely being confined to areas right along the river based on the most recent hi-res guidance. The moderating trend continues into Wednesday as the axis of a ridge moves overhead. A trough moving through the central Rockies will flatten the ridge later in the day, inducing the development of a lee side sfc low east of the CO front range. This will create light to moderate southwest to west breeze in the northeastern quarter of the state, with strengthening winds through the night in the northern mountains as the base of the trough swings through. With 700mb winds around 60kts, there is a low chance of some mountain wave activity along and just east of the Sangre de Cristo mountains late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.

LONG TERM

(Thursday through Monday) Issued at 1147 AM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

Dry northwest flow will develop Thursday and persist over New Mexico through Saturday as ridging amplifies over the desert southwest. Temperatures will rise up to around seasonal averages in most areas, while the southeast plains remain below normal. Ensemble guidance suggests the building ridge will be somewhat progressive, moving across the Rockies and into the High Plains Sunday into Monday as it begins to break down. Uncertainty in the 500mb pattern increases early to mid-next week as the ridge breaks down. Some deterministic models and the GEFS ensemble mean show a positively tilted trough developing over the Intermountain West then sagging southward down the spine of the Rockies. This could bring some precipitation to the area and PoPs have been introduced to the forecast for next Tuesday as a result. Any precipitation would be light given the lack of moisture, with minor snow accumulations favoring the northern mountains during the middle of next week.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 352 PM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist at TAF sites, except at KROW where LIFR conditions in freezing fog are likely to develop again overnight. A few hours of MVFR conditions in mist at KROW will bumper potential for LIFR conditions, with the greatest forecast confidence between 08-12Z Wednesday. Other than southwest breezes at KTCC on Wednesday afternoon and a northerly drainage wind at KSAF earlier Wednesday, winds will be light.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1147 AM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

Poor ventilation continues to prevail in most areas, with pockets of fair to good ventilation in portions of northern and eastern New Mexico today through Thursday. Temperatures will gradually moderate each of the next few days, remaining near to below average in most areas, with near steady RH in most areas each afternoon. Winds will generally be light, with the potential for some stronger gusts in the Sangre de Cristo mountains Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning as a shortwave trough skirts the southern Rockies. A dry cold front will push southward down the High Plains Friday night into early Saturday, dropping temps a few degrees in the eastern plains.

Dry northwest flow prevails Thursday through Saturday, with ridging shifting overhead early next week. There is a low chance of light mountain snow and lower elevation rain showers around the middle of next week.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 18 45 19 47 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 9 48 8 47 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 15 48 17 44 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 7 52 11 50 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 15 51 18 49 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 10 54 16 50 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 16 54 19 48 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 26 50 29 50 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 20 52 24 49 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 19 58 20 59 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 21 62 23 65 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 10 42 10 41 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 20 43 22 43 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 18 48 22 48 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 17 44 16 41 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 6 37 11 33 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... -6 43 3 39 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 8 46 11 44 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 14 53 20 48 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 12 49 14 50 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 21 44 23 44 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 17 44 19 45 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 25 48 29 49 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 25 49 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 21 50 23 55 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 24 49 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 14 48 16 53 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 23 49 23 51 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 15 50 17 54 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 23 50 24 52 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 16 49 19 54 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 25 45 26 47 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 24 49 25 51 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 23 52 25 55 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 21 44 25 44 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 23 43 26 44 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 16 45 22 45 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 5 47 17 47 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 17 43 21 43 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 17 45 23 47 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 15 45 23 46 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 22 47 26 49 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 22 48 29 47 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 17 48 20 42 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 12 49 17 47 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 11 54 17 50 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 16 52 20 48 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 23 53 29 48 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 17 50 24 49 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 15 58 24 56 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 17 54 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 14 55 25 55 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 16 47 24 52 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 12 47 23 53 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 11 46 21 53 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 9 41 19 51 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 22 53 29 52 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 19 57 28 55 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Cold Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 8 AM MST Wednesday for NMZ238.