textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 145 PM MDT Wed Apr 1 2026

- Rain showers through sunset today will create some slick travel conditions, road spray and ponding of water. Snow will cause slick and icy road conditions across northern mountain passes over 9000 feet.

- Strong west winds today through Friday will create hazardous crosswinds for high profile vehicles, especially over eastern New Mexico.

- Dry and windy conditions will increase the risk of rapid fire spread east of the central mountain chain Thursday and Friday afternoon.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Thursday night) Issued at 145 PM MDT Wed Apr 1 2026

An upper level trough is currently moving through the Four Corners area early this afternoon with abundant moisture ahead of the Pacific front across western NM. This is resulting in showers and mountain peak snow across western and north central NM. Showers along the Pacific front in western NM will taper off after the front progresses east of the central mountain chain. A few rumbles of thunder cannot be ruled out with the shower activity across north central NM. Overall, this system is providing beneficial precipitation to western and central NM with overall rainfall amounts around 0.1 to 0.5 inches across lower elevations and liquid amounts of around 0.75 to 1.5 inches (~5 to 10 inches of snow) across the peaks of the northern mountains. Finally, southwest to west winds will be gusty along and behind the Pacific cold front with peak gusts of around 35 to 55 mph. The strongest winds will be along and just east of the central mountain chain.

Any shower activity across north central NM this evening should taper off around sunset with skies quickly clearly and winds gradually tapering off. The one exception for winds will be across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and adjacent east slopes where 700 mb winds will remain strong at around 45 to 60 kts in the wake of the upper level trough. Potential exists for mountain waves to crash to the surface for locations along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Given the low confidence and localized nature of gusts greater than 50 mph, will let the evening shift reevaluate the need for a Wind Advisory for the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains overnight.

Drier air moves across northern and central NM in the wake of today's system with PWATS dropping from around 0.5 to 0.75 today to 0.2 to 0.3 inches Thursday. High temperatures rebound to 5 to 12 degrees above average for early April. A 990 to 995 mb surface lee low will develop over eastern CO midday Thursday ahead of the next upper level low over the northern Rockies across Idaho and Montana. This will result in gusty southwest winds along and east of the central mountain chain. These winds combined with minimum relative humidity values around 10 percent and little beneficial rainfall from today will result in the potential for rapid fire spread. Breezy to locally gusty west southwest winds also across western and central NM Thursday afternoon due to deep daytime mixing tapping into 500 to 700 mb winds of 35 to 45 kts. Winds across lower elevations taper off overnight Thursday into Friday but remain elevated across the higher terrain as the upper low slides east over Wyoming.

LONG TERM

(Friday through Tuesday) Issued at 145 PM MDT Wed Apr 1 2026

The upper low over Wyoming Thursday night ejects east over the northern Great Plains on Friday. This will send a Pacific cold front through most of the state along with a backdoor front through far northeast NM. The fronts will help cool temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees for most areas. Similar temperatures to Thursday across the southeast plains due to downsloping effects. Despite the slightly cooler temperatures, much drier air behind the Pacific front combined with gusty west-northwest winds will result in the potential for another day of rapid fire spread across the I-40 corridor along and east of the central mountain chain.

The backdoor front across far northeast NM moves through the rest of eastern NM Friday evening and night. Lighter winds and CAA behind the fronts will allow for temperatures to cool efficiently overnight with a hard freeze expected for valley locations across north central and western NM. Near average temperatures this weekend into early next week as an upper level ridge over the Pacific coast slides east. Mid range guidance does indicate surface east and southeast flow bringing higher moisture across southern areas Sunday resulting in the potential for some high based showers and isolated storms. A weak disturbance embedded in the ridge moves across the Desert Southwest Monday into Tuesday. This weak disturbance combined with elevated moisture in place will result in the potential for isolated to scattered high based showers and storms across most of northern and central NM.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1147 AM MDT Wed Apr 1 2026

A Pacific front is currently moving through western NM with rain and mountain peak snow showers mostly ahead of the front. Some icing, turbulence, and LLWS due to showers and the cold front passage. Localized MVFR conditions across western NM should lift to VFR shortly after 18Z with some potential for some scattered showers through mid to late this afternoon. Mountain peak snow will result in mountain obscurations across the northern mountains. Potential for some isolated embedded thunderstorms across north central NM this afternoon. Additionally, southwest to west winds increase areawide this afternoon in the wake of the Pacific front with peak gusts of 30 to 45 kts. The strongest winds will be along and east of the central mountain chain. Clearing will occur from west to east early this evening with gradually decreasing winds thru midnight. The exception will be from mountain waves amplifying along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mts tonight where westerly gusts up to 45 kts are possible.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 145 PM MDT Wed Apr 1 2026

Beneficial rainfall and mountain peak snow across north central NM through sunset will help dampen grass and timber fuels after the record warm and dry stretch these last few weeks. Drier air returns areawide on Thursday in the wake of today's system. High temperatures rebound to 5 to 12 degrees above average for early April. Gusty southwest winds, combined with minimum relative humidity values around 10 percent and ERCs around the 90th percentile will allow the potential for rapid fire spread for areas along and east of the central mountain chain. For that reason, the Fire Weather Watch has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. Slightly cooler on Friday as a Pacific front moves through the state. Much drier air combined with gusty west- northwest will result in the potential for a 2nd consecutive day of rapid fire spread along the I- 40 corridor of east central New Mexico. Generally light to locally breezy winds along with higher minimum relative humidity values will help limit critical fire weather conditions this weekend into Monday. However, potential for some dry storms across the southern high terrain Sunday afternoon and western and central high terrain Monday afternoon.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 37 69 37 57 / 20 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 26 63 27 56 / 50 5 5 0 Cuba............................ 31 65 31 54 / 20 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 27 68 26 58 / 5 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 33 66 32 58 / 5 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 31 70 30 59 / 5 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 31 70 34 62 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 36 73 39 68 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 32 68 36 63 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 28 71 31 72 / 5 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 34 74 36 77 / 5 0 0 0 Chama........................... 26 56 27 50 / 60 5 0 5 Los Alamos...................... 38 65 40 57 / 30 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 34 66 37 60 / 20 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 33 60 34 54 / 50 0 0 0 Red River....................... 28 50 29 44 / 50 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 23 57 24 51 / 40 0 0 5 Taos............................ 28 64 31 58 / 50 0 0 0 Mora............................ 34 65 35 59 / 30 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 35 73 37 64 / 30 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 37 67 39 59 / 30 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 35 71 38 62 / 20 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 44 74 45 64 / 10 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 41 76 42 66 / 10 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 39 79 42 69 / 10 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 43 77 44 66 / 10 0 0 0 Belen........................... 37 79 39 71 / 10 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 42 78 43 66 / 10 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 36 79 38 69 / 10 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 42 78 42 67 / 10 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 39 78 40 69 / 10 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 43 72 45 61 / 10 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 42 77 43 65 / 10 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 41 81 44 77 / 5 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 39 67 41 59 / 10 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 39 70 42 60 / 10 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 37 71 39 62 / 10 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 34 72 37 64 / 10 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 36 68 38 61 / 10 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 36 70 39 64 / 10 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 37 70 41 65 / 20 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 41 72 45 72 / 20 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 40 67 45 67 / 20 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 33 69 34 62 / 5 0 0 5 Raton........................... 34 71 34 64 / 10 0 0 5 Springer........................ 36 74 37 67 / 10 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 36 68 39 64 / 10 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 43 76 45 70 / 10 0 0 5 Roy............................. 38 74 40 69 / 10 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 43 82 47 78 / 10 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 44 78 46 72 / 10 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 46 83 50 79 / 20 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 48 81 49 80 / 20 0 0 0 Portales........................ 47 82 47 82 / 20 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 44 82 45 79 / 20 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 46 84 49 84 / 10 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 41 80 46 80 / 5 0 0 0 Elk............................. 38 77 45 80 / 10 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Wind Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for NMZ223-226>233-238- 239.

Red Flag Warning from 1 PM to 8 PM MDT Thursday for NMZ104-123- 125-126.

High Wind Warning until 6 PM MDT this evening for NMZ240.