textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 431 AM MST Wed Jan 14 2026

- Several weak backdoor cold fronts will create brisk northeast winds and cooling over eastern New Mexico today, Friday, Saturday, and Monday. Despite these fronts, dry conditions with mostly above average temperatures will persist areawide.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Friday) Issued at 104 AM MST Wed Jan 14 2026

A highly amplified pattern is taking shape over North America with an unseasonably strong 590dm H5 ridge along the west coast and a 515dm H5 low near the Great Lakes. Swift northwest flow aloft will persist over NM in this pattern thru early next week. Periodic shortwaves will move into the trough across the eastern U.S. and help to force a few cold fronts into NM. The first front has made it thru eastern NM early this morning with gusts in the 25 to 35 mph range expected thru the afternoon. Latest model guidance is showing just enough moisture and lift in the wake of this front to produce a few snow showers this morning near the Raton Ridge. Otherwise, max temps will trend several degrees cooler but still just near normal for mid January. Skies will clear tonight with lighter winds and more strong inversions across the north and west. Min temps will still be above normal however.

A surface low will deepen to near 1009mb over eastern NM Thursday as 700-500mb layer northwest winds increase to between 25 and 35kt over NM. West/northwest winds will become breezy along the east slopes of the central mt chain and nearby highlands thru the afternoon, which will help downslope flow warm temps 10 to 20F above normal over eastern NM. The next cold front will slide thru more of NM on Thursday night with a brief period of brisk north/northwest winds. This front will trend max temps several degrees cooler for Friday but still just near normal for mid January.

LONG TERM

(Friday night through Monday) Issued at 104 AM MST Wed Jan 14 2026

Another weak cold front will slide thru NM Saturday and reinforce the cooler temps. The coolest air will focus over northeast NM with periodic breezy winds making it feel even cooler. It will remain dry all areas with only passing high clouds.

By Sunday, surface winds will veer around to the south and west again with max temps warming 5-10F above normal areawide. Another potentially stronger backdoor cold front may surge southwest into eastern NM Sunday night with much cooler temps again for Monday.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 431 AM MST Wed Jan 14 2026

A backdoor cold front has moved south thru eastern NM this morning with a small area of MVFR low cigs from near Raton to Clayton and Dalhart. LLWS behind the front will dissipate thru around 9am followed by northerly gusts of 15 to 25KT today along the TX/NM border. Light winds and clear skies will return tonight.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 104 AM MST Wed Jan 14 2026

There are no critical fire weather conditions forecast for at least the next seven days. Periodic cold fronts moving thru the area thru early next week will bring several wind shifts with breezy winds at times, especially over eastern NM. Temps will still be above normal for most of the area despite these fronts. Min humidity values will average 15 to 25% each day with fair to good recoveries each night. Ventilation rates will remain poor areawide on most days except for pockets of fair to good values at times over eastern NM.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 46 23 48 23 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 54 19 52 15 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 47 22 50 20 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 50 15 55 15 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 52 23 55 24 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 53 16 59 18 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 53 22 55 22 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 51 30 57 30 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 49 25 56 26 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 61 21 64 21 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 65 24 66 24 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 49 22 49 18 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 48 29 51 28 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 49 26 55 24 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 47 27 50 24 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 39 22 44 21 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 45 14 49 11 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 50 19 52 17 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 53 26 60 23 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 55 23 57 21 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 48 30 51 28 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 50 26 52 25 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 52 33 54 32 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 54 30 55 29 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 56 27 57 27 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 54 30 57 29 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 55 23 56 22 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 55 29 58 28 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 55 23 56 23 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 55 28 58 28 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 55 25 56 24 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 50 31 53 30 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 54 29 57 29 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 58 28 60 29 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 48 28 50 27 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 49 30 50 28 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 51 26 53 25 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 53 19 55 19 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 48 26 52 25 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 52 27 54 25 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 53 27 55 25 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 57 31 57 30 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 50 30 55 31 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 44 23 58 18 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 49 20 61 18 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 50 19 62 18 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 52 24 63 23 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 50 30 67 26 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 52 24 63 23 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 58 25 68 25 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 54 28 65 28 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 59 26 70 26 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 57 28 68 30 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 58 28 69 29 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 57 25 69 28 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 60 27 69 32 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 56 30 69 33 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 56 26 67 30 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.