textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 403 PM MST Sat Dec 20 2025

- Dry and unseasonably warm weather persists with numerous high temperature records challenged through the middle of next week.

- Low elevation rain and high mountain snow will return Christmas Eve over western New Mexico and spread slowly east into central New Mexico through next weekend. Travel may become difficult in areas above 9,000 feet.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Sunday night) Issued at 1247 PM MST Sat Dec 20 2025

Flow aloft will continue weakening thru Sunday as a sprawling ridge moves east across northern MX. Northwest winds along and east of the central mt chain are gusting in the 25 to 35kt range as of 1230pm while northeast winds increase over northeast NM in the wake of a backdoor cold front. This front will continue moving south and west thru tonight as a 1028mb surface high builds south across OK. Min temps will trend 15 to 25F cooler tonight over eastern NM but with readings still 5 to 10F above normal. Surface lee troughing will develop quickly Sunday with south to southwest winds again across the plains by the afternoon. Max temps will recover near record high territory again. Southwest winds will persist Sunday night over eastern NM with readings once again 10 to 20F above normal. Central and western NM will remain tranquil with light winds, mid slope inversions, and above normal temps thru Sunday night.

LONG TERM

(Monday through Thursday) Issued at 1247 PM MST Sat Dec 20 2025

A weak perturbation in zonal flow aloft exiting the Front Range Monday morning will help to deepen surface low pressure over far northeast NM. This will create breezy west winds over eastern NM with downslope flow leading to widespread record highs Monday. Another weak frontal boundary will slip into northeast NM Monday night with slightly cooler temps for Tuesday. Otherwise, heights aloft will continue rising with lighter winds areawide and more well above normal temps.

Some changes begin Tuesday night as the upper high shifts east and a subtropical moisture tap slides into the southwest CONUS ahead of a broad upper trough along the west coast. More cloud cover will slide over the region with slightly breezy southwest winds Wednesday and more near-record warmth. Enough moisture with orographic forcing over far western and northwest NM may help to squeeze out some high terrain rain and snow. Snow levels will likely remain above 9,000 ft Wednesday night and Thursday.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 403 PM MST Sat Dec 20 2025

Gusty conditions will subside through the early evening with lots of high, fair weather cirrus clouds continuing to move overhead. These will thin out some into Sunday with VFR conditions prevailing. Winds will continue to shift in the eastern plains as a weak and dry front moves in through the evening. Light to moderate gusts of 15-25 kt will then develop Sunday afternoon in many locations across northern and central New Mexico.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1247 PM MST Sat Dec 20 2025

Elevated fire weather conditions over east-central and southeast NM this afternoon will ease by sunset as a backdoor cold front approaches from the northeast. Sunday will be tranquil again with lighter winds and slightly higher min humidity. Ridgetop winds will strengthen again over the Sangre de Cristo Mts Sunday night with west winds gusting to between 15 and 25mph over northeast and east-central NM Monday. Record high temps and min humidity from 10 to 15% will also be common. Tuesday will be very dry and mild again but with lighter winds. Vent rates thru this period will be a mixed bag of poor to good with the higher rates mainly confined to eastern NM. A pattern change may begin Wednesday with higher humidity, more clouds, and perhaps some wetting precipitation for the far western and northern high terrain. Snow levels are likely to remain above 9,000 feet Wednesday night and Thursday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 31 59 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 22 58 24 61 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 30 60 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 26 62 26 64 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 32 61 33 64 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 27 66 27 67 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 32 65 31 67 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 39 66 38 66 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 34 64 35 65 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 28 71 29 72 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 32 74 32 76 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 26 52 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 35 57 37 60 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 32 59 36 64 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 33 54 35 58 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 28 52 32 54 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 21 53 26 57 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 26 58 27 61 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 31 62 36 66 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 29 64 30 66 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 36 58 37 60 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 32 59 33 62 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 42 63 42 64 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 37 65 38 66 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 35 67 35 68 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 37 64 37 65 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 32 67 31 66 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 36 66 37 66 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 31 67 31 67 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 36 66 36 67 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 33 67 32 66 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 38 62 39 63 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 36 64 37 66 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 37 70 37 70 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 36 59 37 61 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 32 64 34 64 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 31 65 32 66 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 28 65 29 67 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 33 60 35 63 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 36 65 36 66 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 36 65 37 66 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 40 68 40 69 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 41 65 43 67 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 25 59 36 68 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 25 60 32 70 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 24 64 31 72 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 31 62 36 69 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 27 57 43 77 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 26 59 36 73 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 29 67 37 79 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 31 67 40 74 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 28 67 40 80 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 31 64 40 76 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 29 66 37 77 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 31 64 33 77 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 36 66 34 74 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 40 70 41 78 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 38 74 39 78 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.