textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 447 PM MST Thu Feb 19 2026

- Strong to potentially damaging westerly winds will plague much of eastern NM once again on Friday, creating hazardous crosswinds on north-to-south oriented roadways.

- Snow will produce difficult winter driving conditions across the west central and northern mountains tonight into Friday, with a moderate risk of snow squalls even at lower elevations Friday morning as a blustery cold front crosses west central, northwest, and north central New Mexico. - Critical fire weather conditions will increase the risk of rapid fire spread across northeast and east central areas today and Friday.

- A warming trend will begin this weekend and continue into the middle of next week, with temperatures rising above average areawide by Monday or Tuesday.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 1148 AM MST Thu Feb 19 2026

The next in a series of upper level troughs is over central CA per the latest water vapor satellite imagery and is forecast to race east across the southern Rockies and NM on Friday, bringing more strong winds, snow to the northern/western mountains and critical fire weather conditions to eastern portions of the area (see Fire Weather section below). The trough will push a Pacific cold front through on Friday, with blustery conditions and the potential for snow squalls across western and north central NM during the morning hours. 700mb temperatures are forecast to reach down to between -6 and -10C across much of northern NM on Friday. Forcing associated with the passing upper level trough, combined with orographic forcing from strong westerly winds, will result in some significant snow accumulation in the Tusas Mountains, where a Winter Storm Warning is now in effect. The peaks of the Tusas will likely pick up an additional 10-12", but lesser amounts of 3-6" are forecast in Chama and nearby communities. Lesser amounts are forecast across the Sangre De Cristos, Jemez and Chuska mountains and do not warrant the issuance of an advisory or warning at this time. Strong winds at the base of the passing upper level trough will reach up to 50kts at 700mb on Friday, with strong to potentially damaging winds likely both ahead of and behind the Pacific cold front as it races east across the area. The main focus area for wind gusts to 60mph will be some of the usual suspects between Clines Corners, Las Vegas and Santa Rosa, where a High Wind Warning is now in effect for Friday. Surrounding that area and extending east to the TX border is a Wind Advisory for the same period. Blowing dust is possible Friday as well, but lower forecast confidence on the extent. For now, the middle RGV and Chaves County near Roswell are the areas most likely to be impacted. Snow and winds will diminish rapidly late Friday as the upper level trough ejects east of the area, with cold air advection resulting in a cold night with low temperatures 5-10 degrees below average.

LONG TERM

(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 1148 AM MST Thu Feb 19 2026

Dry conditions and a slow warming trend will begin this weekend and continue into the middle of next week under the influence of a broad upper level ridge over northwest MX and the southwest US. Temperatures will rise above average areawide by Monday or Tuesday. The ridge will flatten some and give way to increasing westerly flow aloft from Tuesday through Thursday, bringing breezy to windy conditions back to the forecast area. Dry west to northwest flow aloft is modeled to persist beyond the forecast period and into the following weekend.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 447 PM MST Thu Feb 19 2026

Another Pacific storm system will yield widespread windy conditions, along with low-level wind shear and MVFR or briefly IFR in snow/snow showers for KFMN and KGUP over the next 24 hours. The combination of these snow showers and gusty winds could produce snow squall-like conditions at these terminals during the morning hours. Lower confidence on snow showers impacting KSAF around mid-day tomorrow. Otherwise, mainly VFR prevails. KROW could see visibility reductions in blowing dust Friday afternoon, but confidence is low to moderate. Although not explicitly forecast in the TAF at this juncture, there is a high (80%) probability that an Airport Weather Warning will be needed for KABQ for wind gusts exceeding 35 knots between approximately 15-21Z Friday.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1148 AM MST Thu Feb 19 2026

Strong westerly winds and critical fire weather conditions will persist across eastern portions of the area through Friday. A fast-moving upper level trough will push a Pacific cold front east across the region on Friday, bringing good to excellent ventilation, blustery conditions and accumulating snow to the west central and north central mountains. A broad upper level ridge will take shape across northern Mexico and the southwest US thereafter, bringing a warming/drying trend and deteriorating ventilation going into Monday. Temperatures are forecast to reach above average areawide by Monday or Tuesday. Vent rates will improve going into the middle of next week as the ridge flattens and gives way to increasing westerlies. Elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions are forecast to return at the same time, with low probabilities for critical conditions.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 26 40 15 41 / 70 50 0 0 Dulce........................... 16 34 5 42 / 80 90 10 0 Cuba............................ 22 37 14 42 / 40 60 5 0 Gallup.......................... 20 39 7 43 / 60 40 0 0 El Morro........................ 22 36 14 44 / 30 50 0 0 Grants.......................... 20 40 11 48 / 20 30 0 0 Quemado......................... 25 41 17 49 / 10 20 0 0 Magdalena....................... 30 47 23 48 / 5 20 0 0 Datil........................... 26 42 19 48 / 5 20 0 0 Reserve......................... 25 46 16 56 / 20 30 0 0 Glenwood........................ 27 48 20 61 / 20 30 0 0 Chama........................... 12 28 4 37 / 70 90 5 0 Los Alamos...................... 25 38 19 42 / 30 40 0 0 Pecos........................... 20 40 16 46 / 20 30 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 17 32 10 38 / 30 70 0 0 Red River....................... 12 24 6 30 / 30 80 5 0 Angel Fire...................... 8 30 2 38 / 30 60 5 0 Taos............................ 19 37 10 43 / 30 40 0 0 Mora............................ 18 38 14 46 / 20 30 0 0 Espanola........................ 23 45 16 48 / 30 30 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 24 41 19 44 / 20 30 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 23 43 18 46 / 20 30 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 32 47 27 51 / 10 20 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 31 49 26 52 / 10 20 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 28 51 24 55 / 10 20 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 29 49 24 53 / 10 20 0 0 Belen........................... 28 53 21 54 / 5 20 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 29 49 23 54 / 10 30 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 27 52 20 54 / 5 20 0 0 Corrales........................ 28 50 23 54 / 10 20 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 27 52 21 54 / 5 20 0 0 Placitas........................ 30 46 24 49 / 20 20 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 29 48 24 53 / 10 20 0 0 Socorro......................... 31 57 26 56 / 5 10 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 27 41 22 46 / 20 30 0 0 Tijeras......................... 29 44 24 46 / 10 20 0 0 Edgewood........................ 25 44 20 48 / 10 10 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 20 46 15 50 / 10 5 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 23 41 18 45 / 5 5 0 0 Mountainair..................... 27 46 21 50 / 5 5 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 27 48 21 51 / 0 5 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 35 53 27 54 / 5 5 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 31 46 25 51 / 10 10 0 0 Capulin......................... 16 42 12 43 / 0 20 0 0 Raton........................... 14 45 11 47 / 5 20 0 0 Springer........................ 16 47 12 49 / 0 10 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 21 43 15 46 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 20 51 18 49 / 0 10 0 0 Roy............................. 21 48 17 48 / 0 5 0 0 Conchas......................... 24 57 20 54 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 25 54 23 51 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 25 59 21 54 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 30 60 25 54 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 27 62 24 56 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 26 60 23 55 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 35 67 29 59 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 35 58 26 58 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 33 55 25 59 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-123-126.

Red Flag Warning from 9 AM to 6 PM MST Friday for NMZ104-125-126.

High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 5 PM MST Friday for NMZ214-215- 223-229-232-233.

Wind Advisory from 9 AM to 5 PM MST Friday for NMZ212-221-222- 226-228-231-234>237-239-240.

Winter Storm Warning from 11 PM this evening to 5 PM MST Friday for NMZ210.