textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1123 AM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

- Strong to potentially damaging westerly winds will persist across much of central and eastern NM through the afternoon hours today, creating hazardous crosswinds on north-to-south oriented roads.

- Snow will produce winter driving conditions across the west central and northern mountains through this afternoon.

- A warming trend will begin this weekend and continue into the middle of next week with temperatures rising well above average most places starting Monday. - Critical fire weather conditions will increase the risk of rapid fire spread across northeast and east central areas today, then potentially again Tuesday and Wednesday.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 1123 AM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

The upper level trough is currently racing east across the southern Rockies and northern NM per the latest water vapor satellite imagery, while a Pacific cold front is progressing through central NM at the surface. The 18Z KABQ upper air sounding measured 500mb wind speeds at an impressive 75kts. The strongest surface winds are located near and east of the cold front, with blustery conditions behind it. Winds across eastern NM are still on the uptrend and patches of blowing dust will likely develop this afternoon, especially near Roswell. The wind and winter highlights will remain as-is and expire at 00Z, although a portion of the wind highlights may need to be extended an hour or two. Otherwise, conditions will improve rapidly this evening and overnight, although a cold night is forecast with low temperatures generally 5-15 degrees below average. An upper level ridge will take shape across the region Saturday and Saturday night, providing fair weather conditions with light winds.

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 1123 AM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

An upper level ridge will persist across the region through Monday, with a continued warming trend and mostly light winds. The upper level ridge will flatten out on Tuesday and give way to stronger WNW flow aloft through the remainder of the work week, bringing breezy to locally windy conditions back to the forecast. Temperatures will be a solid 10-20 degrees above average during the Tue-Fri period, with the greatest departures from average across the eastern plains thanks to downslope warming.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1123 AM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

Strong westerly flow prevails across the area both ahead of and behind a Pacific cold front, which is moving into central NM at this hour. An area of snow showers extending from northeast to southwest along and immediately behind the cold front will impact KSAF and KABQ/KAEG through 20Z with MVFR conditions in snow and strong westerly wind gusts to 40-50mph. Improving conditions will follow, as they did at KFMN and KGUP over the past hour. Strong westerly winds will materialize at KROW this afternoon and result in MVFR conditions in blowing dust. Winds will diminish rapidly this evening and conditions will improve significantly overnight, with VFR conditions persisting through Saturday.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1123 AM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

An upper level trough and Pacific cold front are bringing strong westerly winds today, with critical fire weather conditions across much of eastern NM and accumulating snow across portions of west central and northwest NM. A broad upper level ridge will take shape across the region this weekend and into early next week, bringing a warming/drying trend with poor ventilation across central and western NM. The ridge will flatten out and allow stronger west-northwest flow to penetrate across the southern Rockies and NM from Tuesday through Thursday, bringing moderate westerly downslope winds to areas of east of the central mountain chain. Moderate chances (40-50%) for critical fire weather conditions exist next Tue/Wed, mainly in the east central plains and central highlands.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 38 16 41 19 / 80 5 0 0 Dulce........................... 34 0 41 4 / 100 10 0 0 Cuba............................ 37 13 41 16 / 80 5 0 0 Gallup.......................... 36 6 42 10 / 80 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 34 12 45 21 / 80 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 39 8 46 14 / 70 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 40 14 48 21 / 30 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 46 21 46 27 / 10 0 0 0 Datil........................... 41 17 46 23 / 20 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 45 14 56 20 / 50 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 48 18 61 23 / 50 0 0 0 Chama........................... 27 0 35 9 / 100 20 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 36 17 41 22 / 60 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 37 15 45 18 / 60 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 31 8 38 14 / 90 5 0 0 Red River....................... 23 4 31 8 / 90 10 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 29 -1 37 -1 / 80 5 0 0 Taos............................ 35 6 41 9 / 70 5 0 0 Mora............................ 36 12 45 15 / 70 5 0 0 Espanola........................ 44 14 48 15 / 60 5 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 38 19 43 23 / 60 5 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 41 17 46 20 / 50 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 46 25 49 29 / 30 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 49 24 51 27 / 20 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 51 21 53 24 / 20 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 49 24 51 27 / 20 0 0 0 Belen........................... 52 19 52 20 / 20 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 49 23 51 25 / 30 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 51 19 52 20 / 20 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 50 23 52 25 / 20 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 51 20 52 22 / 20 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 45 23 46 27 / 30 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 49 24 51 26 / 20 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 57 24 54 24 / 5 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 41 20 44 24 / 40 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 42 22 45 26 / 40 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 43 18 47 19 / 30 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 45 14 48 13 / 30 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 40 16 43 19 / 30 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 46 19 48 21 / 20 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 48 19 48 22 / 10 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 53 24 53 26 / 5 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 46 23 48 24 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 41 11 42 16 / 20 0 0 0 Raton........................... 42 10 45 13 / 40 0 0 0 Springer........................ 45 11 47 11 / 30 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 40 13 46 17 / 30 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 51 19 48 23 / 20 0 0 0 Roy............................. 47 16 46 19 / 20 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 57 20 53 19 / 10 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 52 21 50 20 / 10 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 59 21 53 20 / 10 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 61 25 53 24 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 63 24 54 21 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 60 22 53 19 / 5 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 65 30 57 25 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 58 25 55 24 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 56 23 56 21 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-125-126.

High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ214-215- 223-229-232-233.

Wind Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ212-213-221- 222-226-228-231-234>237-239-240.

Winter Storm Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ210.

Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for NMZ203.