textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 141 PM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

- Storms across central and eastern New Mexico this afternoon and evening will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts and large hail, locally heavy rainfall and isolated flash flooding,.

- Moderate to major heat risk will impact many lower elevations of far western New Mexico today, then gradually expand back into central and eastern NM through at least mid next week.

- Much lower coverage of showers and thunderstorms across the higher terrain and nearby lower elevations Sunday and Monday before gradually increasing beginning Tuesday.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Sunday night) Issued at 141 PM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

Higher low level moisture is in place east of the Continental Divide currently due to a backdoor front pushing west to this Arizona border early this morning. Low level moisture is mixing out across most areas west of the Rio Grande Valley. However, PWATS around 0.9 to 1.3 inches along and east of the Rio Grande Valley and along and south of U.S. 60. With the added moisture and daytime heating. thunderstorms have gotten going across the central and southern mountain ranges. These storms will move south-southeast into surrounding lower elevations, mainly along and east of the central mountain chain, during the rest of the afternoon and evening hours due to upper level northerly flow on the western periphery of a 598 to 599 upper high over AZ and UT. Storms will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts and large hail due to bulk shear values of 35 to 45 kts and steeper mid level lapse rates compared to this time yesterday at around 7.5 deg C. The high moisture content mentioned above will also result in locally heavy rainfall rates. The flash flooding risk will be highest on recent burn scars (i.e. Ruidoso area), however the brisk north to south storm motion at 10 to 20 mph will help limit the risk. Ruidoso will likely see two rounds of showers and thunderstorms. The first round from storms currently developing over the Sacramento Mountains with the second round mid to late Saturday evening as storms from the Sandia and Manzano Mountains and nearby highlands move south. The Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until midnight, but could be cancelled a few hours early once the 2nd round of storms finished moving through the area. Storms will taper off across southern NM late this evening. Finally, the heat is the main story across northwest and far west central NM this afternoon and early evening with high temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100 due to being close to the center of the upper high over UT and AZ. Heat Advisories are in effect for the Northwest Plateau and well as the West Central Plateau (including Gallup and Zuni) until 8 PM this evening.

The upper high will pivot back east to over the Four Corners area Sunday. North-northeast flow around the high will bring much drier mid level air over the state with PWATS dropping to around 0.5 to 0.7 inches across northwest and far west central NM and 0.7 to 0.9 inches elsewhere. This will result in a much lower coverage of showers and storms overall with an isolated storm or two across the central mountains and scattered storms across the Gila Mountains with a jog to the southwest. With the drier air, temperatures heat back up to the upper 90s to low 100s across central and eastern NM with similar temperatures to today across northwest and far west central NM. With that, have issued another Heat Advisory for the Northwest and West Central Plateau from 12 PM to 8 PM MDT. Storm activity across the Gila Mountains should taper off just before sunset.

LONG TERM

(Monday through Friday) Issued at 141 PM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

The 594 to 596 dam 500 mb upper high flattens over much of the desert SW on Monday. Generally drier air remains in place with PWATS around 0.6 to 0.9 inches. This combined with downslope surface southwest and west winds, will allow the heat to reintensify across central and eastern NM. Record highs in the upper 90s to mid 100s will be common across lower elevations. Heat Advisories will likely be needed again across the Northwest and West Central Plateau and expanded to numerous central and eastern zones come Monday. A few Extreme Heat Warnings cannot be ruled out as well, including Farmington and Albuquerque. Isolated to scattered storms Monday afternoon and evening will mainly be confined to the higher terrain and northeast highlands and far northeast plains.

A disturbance moving across eastern CO Monday evening will send a boundary through northeast NM Tuesday morning cooling down high temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees across this part of the state. Additionally, PWATS across most of the area increase to around 0.8 to 1.2 inches. This will result in a slightly higher coverage of showers and storms across the high terrain and nearby lower elevations. For Wednesday into next weekend, to upper high over the desert SW looks to reintensify to the upper 590s dam at 500 mb and pivot to more over NV, UT, and CO. High temperatures will be hotter than average for early August with mid 90s to low 100s across lower elevations. Diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances favoring the north central and southwest mountains and nearby lower elevations moving south-southeast in nearby lower elevations across central and eastern NM and west-southwest into nearby lower elevations across western NM.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1150 AM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

Thunderstorms currently developing over central mountains will move south into lower elevations along and east of the central mountain chain mid this afternoon and this evening. Storms look to stay just east of KSAF and KABQ, but will bring a gusty southeast and east canyon wind to these 2 terminals early to mid this evening. Very hot and dry across northwest and west central NM this afternoon and early evening. Storms along and east of the central mountain chain will congeal into a line late this afternoon and move through KROW this evening. Storms will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and locally heavy rainfall. Storms taper off across southern NM late this evening at around midnight with clearing skies overnight.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 141 PM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

No critical fire weather concerns through late next week. A backdoor front has brought higher moisture to areas along and east of the Continental Divide resulting in scattered to numerous showers and storms across central and eastern New Mexico this afternoon and evening. Storms will be capable of becoming severe with damaging wind gusts and large hail along with locally heavy rainfall. The flash flood risk will be highest on area burn scars, low lying, poor drainage and urban areas. Meanwhile, hot and dry across northwest and far west central New Mexico. Drier and hotter weather expands back east Sunday and Monday. Widespread record high temperatures Monday. Scattered thunderstorms across the Gila Mountains both afternoons. Still hotter than normal with storm coverage gradually ticking up across the higher terrain and nearby lower elevations mid to late next week.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 68 102 66 103 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 54 97 54 100 / 10 0 0 5 Cuba............................ 59 94 60 96 / 5 0 5 0 Gallup.......................... 61 98 63 98 / 0 0 0 5 El Morro........................ 58 94 59 94 / 0 10 5 5 Grants.......................... 60 96 62 97 / 5 10 5 10 Quemado......................... 62 92 62 93 / 10 10 10 5 Magdalena....................... 63 90 65 93 / 20 20 5 20 Datil........................... 59 87 60 90 / 10 20 10 20 Reserve......................... 61 94 59 97 / 20 30 20 20 Glenwood........................ 64 97 64 99 / 20 50 20 40 Chama........................... 52 89 54 92 / 10 10 5 10 Los Alamos...................... 61 90 64 93 / 5 10 5 20 Pecos........................... 55 90 58 97 / 20 10 5 10 Cerro/Questa.................... 55 91 59 94 / 5 0 0 10 Red River....................... 46 81 49 83 / 5 0 0 20 Angel Fire...................... 38 84 44 88 / 5 10 5 30 Taos............................ 53 93 57 97 / 5 0 0 10 Mora............................ 51 89 55 95 / 5 10 5 20 Espanola........................ 60 97 63 100 / 5 0 0 5 Santa Fe........................ 61 91 64 96 / 20 0 0 5 Santa Fe Airport................ 59 93 62 98 / 10 0 0 5 Albuquerque Foothills........... 66 97 70 101 / 10 0 5 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 65 98 69 102 / 10 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 65 100 69 105 / 10 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 67 99 70 103 / 5 0 5 0 Belen........................... 64 101 67 104 / 20 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 65 99 68 104 / 5 0 5 0 Bosque Farms.................... 63 100 67 105 / 20 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 66 100 70 105 / 5 0 5 0 Los Lunas....................... 64 100 68 104 / 20 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 64 95 67 100 / 10 0 5 0 Rio Rancho...................... 66 99 70 103 / 5 0 5 0 Socorro......................... 68 101 70 105 / 30 0 0 5 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 58 92 63 97 / 10 0 5 0 Tijeras......................... 60 92 65 97 / 10 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 55 93 60 98 / 20 5 0 5 Moriarty/Estancia............... 52 94 57 99 / 20 10 5 5 Clines Corners.................. 55 89 61 94 / 30 10 10 10 Mountainair..................... 56 93 62 97 / 30 5 5 10 Gran Quivira.................... 57 90 61 94 / 40 5 10 5 Carrizozo....................... 62 91 66 97 / 50 0 5 5 Ruidoso......................... 57 84 60 88 / 60 10 5 20 Capulin......................... 52 88 58 93 / 5 0 0 40 Raton........................... 52 94 56 97 / 5 5 5 30 Springer........................ 53 96 55 99 / 5 5 5 20 Las Vegas....................... 53 91 56 96 / 10 10 10 20 Clayton......................... 60 95 66 100 / 10 0 0 5 Roy............................. 56 91 61 96 / 20 0 5 10 Conchas......................... 62 100 67 106 / 30 0 5 5 Santa Rosa...................... 60 95 64 103 / 20 5 5 10 Tucumcari....................... 62 100 67 106 / 40 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 63 96 67 102 / 50 0 0 0 Portales........................ 64 97 68 103 / 50 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 63 96 67 103 / 50 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 68 100 70 105 / 50 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 62 94 65 98 / 50 5 0 20 Elk............................. 59 90 62 94 / 40 10 0 20

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ201-205.

Heat Advisory from noon to 8 PM MDT Sunday for NMZ201-205.

Flood Watch until midnight MDT tonight for NMZ226.