textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 516 PM MDT Fri Apr 3 2026

- Dry and gusty northwest winds this afternoon will create hazardous crosswinds for high profile vehicles and a higher risk for rapid fire spread, especially over eastern New Mexico.

- A widespread hard freeze will impact much of northern and western New Mexico tonight, including the Farmington and Santa Fe areas. Freezing temperatures are expected in valley locations of the Albuquerque metro area and northeast New Mexico. Folks should be prepared to protect plants, pets, and pipes from a damaging freeze event.

- Seasonable temperatures with chances for showers and storms next early next week. Main hazards will be gusty and erratic winds and dry lightning, which could lead to future fire starts. Low confidence in wetting rainfall.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 125 PM MDT Fri Apr 3 2026

A Pacific front is currently pushing through northern and central NM. The backdoor front portion of the system has pushed through far northeast NM, including Clayton, this morning. Much drier air with dewpoints in the single digits to mid teens along with gusty northwest winds of 30 to 45 mph will be observed behind the Pacific front this afternoon. These winds combined with low minimum relative humidity values and very dry fuels will result in a longer period of critical fire weather conditions across east central NM. Potential for a brief period of critical fire conditions from Farmington to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, but rainfall from Wednesday's storm should help limit the risk. Gusty northeast winds behind the backdoor front with peak gusts around 30 mph. Temperatures for most locations today will be slightly cooler by around 5 to 10 degrees than yesterday, except for the east central plains and southern NM where temperatures will be similar to yesterday.

The backdoor front across far northeast NM moves through the rest of eastern NM and the middle and lower RGV this evening into the overnight hours. North wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph expected along and just behind the backdoor front. Lighter winds, very dry air, and CAA behind the fronts will allow for temperatures to cool efficiently overnight across western and north central NM. A hard freeze expected for valley locations across north central and western NM. Due to vegetation already blooming and growing after a record warm March by a large margin, a Freeze Warning for the San Juan River Valley, Espanola Valley, Santa Fe Metro, Estancia Valley and valley locations of the ABQ Metro.

Winds across most of central and eastern NM gradually taper off during the morning hours and turn southerly by the afternoon as a negatively tilted upper level ridge over the Pacific coast gradually slides east. A tranquil Saturday is expected with high temperatures in the 60s to near 70 across lower elevations, around to slightly below average for early April. Temperatures Sunday morning will not be as cold as Saturday morning due to slightly higher moisture moving in from the south and east.

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 125 PM MDT Fri Apr 3 2026

Near average temperatures and generally light winds Sunday through Tuesday next week. Surface east and southeast flow brings higher moisture across southern and western areas Sunday resulting in the some high based showers and isolated dry storms. Gusty and erratic winds of up to 50 mph will be the main hazards from this activity. Some wetting precipitation could be observed across the Gila Mountains. Weak disturbances embedded in the ridge moves across the Desert Southwest Monday into Tuesday. This weak disturbance combined with elevated mid and upper level moisture in place will result in isolated to scattered showers and storms across western and central NM Monday afternoon and evening and areas along and east of the Continental Divide Tuesday afternoon and evening. Main hazards will be gusty and erratic wind gusts of up to 50 mph along with potential dry lightning, which could lead to future fire starts. Confidence in wetting rainfall across lower elevations from this shower and storm activity is low due to uncertainty in overall available surface moisture. Long range and NBM guidance favors drier and warmer conditions for Wednesday with upper level zonal flow. However, a few gusty showers/ dry storms cannot be ruled out across the central high terrain and nearby lower elevations of central NM due to another weak disturbance embedded in the zonal flow. Breezy southwest winds return Thursday as a system moves into the Pacific coast. Some guidance shows a potential dryline and associated convection setting up along the Texas border Thursday afternoon and evening.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 516 PM MDT Fri Apr 3 2026

VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist through the TAF period. Gusty north-northwest winds behind a cold front will gradually subside overnight, with much lighter winds forecast on Saturday. The cold front is forecast to result in a wind shift at KROW at 02Z this evening, with northerly winds increasing and getting gusty by 04Z.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 125 PM MDT Fri Apr 3 2026

Critical fire weather conditions along the I-40 corridor of east central New Mexico from Clines Corners to the Texas border this afternoon. A brief period of critical fire weather conditions from Farmington to Albuquerque and Santa Fe this afternoon, though higher fuel moisture from Wednesday's rain should limit the threat. Generally light to locally breezy winds along with higher minimum relative humidity values will help limit critical fire weather conditions this weekend and early next week. Shower and storm chances will favor southwest and south central areas Sunday, western and central New Mexico Monday and areas along and east of the Continental Divide Tuesday. Some dry storms as well, especially across lower elevations. Confidence in wetting rainfall across lower elevations from this shower and storm activity is low due to uncertainty in overall available surface moisture.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 23 64 32 72 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 17 64 25 68 / 0 0 0 5 Cuba............................ 23 61 31 65 / 0 0 0 5 Gallup.......................... 16 65 25 69 / 0 0 0 20 El Morro........................ 25 62 32 64 / 0 0 0 30 Grants.......................... 16 64 28 67 / 0 0 0 20 Quemado......................... 24 67 36 67 / 0 0 0 40 Magdalena....................... 31 64 38 64 / 0 0 0 20 Datil........................... 28 62 34 62 / 0 0 0 40 Reserve......................... 25 72 34 71 / 0 0 0 40 Glenwood........................ 33 77 37 75 / 0 0 0 30 Chama........................... 19 58 26 61 / 0 0 0 10 Los Alamos...................... 33 59 37 62 / 0 0 0 10 Pecos........................... 26 60 31 62 / 0 0 0 10 Cerro/Questa.................... 26 59 28 62 / 0 0 0 10 Red River....................... 19 49 25 53 / 0 0 0 10 Angel Fire...................... 13 56 20 58 / 0 0 0 10 Taos............................ 15 62 25 65 / 0 0 0 10 Mora............................ 24 60 29 61 / 0 0 0 5 Espanola........................ 26 67 33 71 / 0 0 0 5 Santa Fe........................ 29 61 36 64 / 0 0 0 10 Santa Fe Airport................ 25 63 35 67 / 0 0 0 5 Albuquerque Foothills........... 38 68 44 71 / 0 0 0 5 Albuquerque Heights............. 34 69 43 72 / 0 0 0 5 Albuquerque Valley.............. 31 71 40 75 / 0 0 0 5 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 36 69 41 73 / 0 0 0 5 Belen........................... 30 70 37 74 / 0 0 0 10 Bernalillo...................... 34 70 39 74 / 0 0 0 5 Bosque Farms.................... 28 70 37 75 / 0 0 0 5 Corrales........................ 34 70 40 75 / 0 0 0 5 Los Lunas....................... 31 70 37 74 / 0 0 0 10 Placitas........................ 35 65 41 69 / 0 0 0 5 Rio Rancho...................... 35 70 41 73 / 0 0 0 5 Socorro......................... 38 73 42 73 / 0 0 0 20 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 32 62 38 65 / 0 0 0 5 Tijeras......................... 34 63 39 67 / 0 0 0 5 Edgewood........................ 27 63 34 67 / 0 0 0 5 Moriarty/Estancia............... 21 65 28 67 / 0 0 0 5 Clines Corners.................. 29 59 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 29 64 34 67 / 0 0 0 10 Gran Quivira.................... 31 63 35 65 / 0 0 0 10 Carrizozo....................... 39 67 40 66 / 0 0 0 20 Ruidoso......................... 35 59 36 57 / 0 0 0 20 Capulin......................... 24 58 28 62 / 10 0 0 0 Raton........................... 23 62 26 66 / 5 0 0 5 Springer........................ 24 64 26 67 / 0 0 0 5 Las Vegas....................... 26 60 30 62 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 31 62 36 68 / 10 0 0 0 Roy............................. 29 61 32 64 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 34 68 35 73 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 34 65 35 66 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 36 69 37 73 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 42 69 39 72 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 41 70 37 72 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 37 69 37 70 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 45 70 44 68 / 0 0 0 10 Picacho......................... 39 65 40 62 / 0 0 0 20 Elk............................. 36 65 36 60 / 0 0 5 30

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Freeze Warning from 2 AM to 8 AM MDT Saturday for NMZ201-217>219- 222.

Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ125-126.