textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1137 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

- Areas of freezing fog and low visibility will develop across eastern New Mexico Saturday morning and again in the Pecos River Valley near Roswell Sunday morning. Slick spots on elevated surfaces may develop, including on bridges and overpasses.

- Mild temperatures will prevail across the region through the next 7 days, except briefly colder temperatures across eastern New Mexico on Saturday.

- Slim (<20%) chance of rain and snow showers across far northeast and east central New Mexico Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Saturday) Issued at 1137 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

Quiet conditions will prevail for the rest of today under northwest flow aloft. High temperatures will be near to below normal, with the most significant departures from normal around Roswell where snow remains on the ground.

A sharp shortwave sliding across the upper Midwest will send an associated backdoor front southward and into eastern NM overnight. Low clouds and freezing fog are expected to develop behind the front, first across northeast NM, then spreading across east central and southeast areas Saturday morning. Weak upslope flow may allow for a brief period of freezing drizzle, but forecast soundings suggest the saturated layer at low levels will be too shallow for this to occur. Thus, freezing fog and low clouds should prevail. The northeast and east winds behind the front will quickly veer around to the south and southwest Saturday afternoon. This should help erode the low clouds across northeast NM first where winds will be more southwesterly, but the low clouds and fog across east central and southeast areas may linger well into the afternoon where winds will be more southerly (or south-southeasterly). This will keep temperatures well below normal in this area, and forecast highs may need to be lowered further. Meanwhile across western NM, temps will remain at or above normal with plenty of sunshine and light northwest winds.

LONG TERM

(Saturday night through next Thursday) Issued at 1137 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

Another round of freezing fog is expected to develop Saturday night into Sunday morning across the Pecos River Valley near Roswell. Overall, the low clouds and freezing fog will not be as widespread as tonight, but low visibility and slick spots will again be a concern.

Meanwhile, the upper level high over southern CA today will shift eastward and the ridge axis will be over NM by Sunday afternoon. This combined with the development of a weak lee-side trough will expedite the warm-up across eastern NM. In fact, all but continued snow-covered areas will be above normal Sunday afternoon. The upper level ridge will shift eastward Sunday night, allowing a weak disturbance to shift over NM on Monday. This will do little to our sensible weather, though it will increase passing clouds over the state. A breezy afternoon will also be noted across east central NM.

Another weak backdoor cold front will slide down the plains on Monday night, cooling high temperatures for Tuesday on the order of 6 to 10 degrees. Another weak shortwave will clip northeast NM on Tuesday night into Wednesday. The nose of a strong upper level jet on the back side of the trough may provide enough lift for some light rain or snow across northeast and east central NM for this period, but confidence is low that it will be measurable precipitation. Flurries appear most likely.

Quiet weather will prevail late Wednesday through Thursday as a Rex blocking pattern sets up across the western U.S.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1014 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

VFR conditions with mainly light winds will prevail through approximately 05Z Sat. A few breezes will be noted this afternoon across far northwest NM with gusts near 25kt. Otherwise, the main story will be the low clouds and freezing fog development across eastern NM behind a backdoor cold front late tonight into Saturday morning. IFR cigs and visibilities will develop first across northeast NM before expanding/shifting southward early Saturday morning. Low clouds may linger around KROW and portions of east central NM through much of the day Saturday.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1137 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

No critical fire weather conditions are expected for the next week. Main fire weather concerns will be dry conditions (no significant precipitation and RH falling below 15 percent across northeast NM on Monday) and poor ventilation prevailing across most areas throughout the week due to light winds. A backdoor cold front will arrive tonight across eastern NM, resulting in low clouds and areas of freezing fog, and another weaker front will arrive Monday night across eastern NM. Precipitation chances are slim, and favor Tuesday night through mid day Wednesday across northeast and east central NM, but chances are low and measurable precipitation is unlikely.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 48 20 50 21 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 48 13 51 15 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 45 19 50 20 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 49 14 56 15 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 48 19 54 22 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 50 14 56 17 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 48 20 55 23 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 49 27 54 30 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 48 23 54 27 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 57 21 64 24 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 64 23 64 26 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 42 16 46 16 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 43 25 47 29 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 47 21 52 25 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 41 20 47 23 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 34 12 40 14 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 40 2 44 5 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 45 13 49 16 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 47 18 54 22 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 51 18 54 21 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 46 23 49 27 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 46 21 50 24 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 50 28 53 31 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 51 26 55 29 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 54 24 56 26 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 52 26 55 29 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 53 19 55 22 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 51 26 56 28 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 53 20 55 21 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 53 25 56 27 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 53 21 55 23 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 47 27 51 30 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 52 26 56 29 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 56 26 58 29 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 43 26 47 29 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 45 26 47 30 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 46 20 50 25 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 48 13 53 18 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 43 20 47 25 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 48 22 51 26 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 48 22 51 25 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 49 26 52 29 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 46 25 49 29 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 44 14 51 22 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 48 13 51 20 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 49 13 53 18 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 48 16 51 24 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 51 18 46 27 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 48 17 47 23 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 54 19 54 22 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 51 19 53 23 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 55 19 47 22 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 53 20 40 24 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 53 19 41 21 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 52 18 44 20 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 50 22 43 22 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 53 25 53 29 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 54 23 58 27 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.