textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 530 PM MDT Thu Aug 20 2026

- Greater storm coverage will continue today and Friday with a risk of cloud-to-ground lightning, erratic wind gusts, heavy rainfall, ponding of water on roads, as well as a risk of flash flooding below recent burn scars.

- Smoke from the Frijoles Fire will continue to impact air quality in the vicinity of the fire this week.

- Moderate-to-major heat risk will impact much of central and eastern New Mexico this weekend through the middle of next week with record and near-record high temperatures.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 106 PM MDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Storm coverage is still expected to peak today and Friday as moisture deepens beneath a strong monsoon high drifting north and east thru southern CO. The 18Z KABQ RAOB showed a PWAT of 1.17" with no mid level subsidence inversion and H5 heights still at 598dm. Surface dewpoints are hovering in the mid to upper 40s at most METARs as of 1pm. 12Z CAMs and probabilistic QPF shows higher peak QPF near the higher terrain today before trending slightly lower Friday. A couple strong storms may occur again today and Friday over portions of the area but shear is weaker than yesterday. Temps will remain hot but a few degrees cooler than recent days where storm coverage is greater. Southeast NM and the Four Corners region will still see fewer storms so temps are likely to be near record highs once again.

LONG TERM

(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 106 PM MDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Saturday thru Tuesday still looks drier and hotter with the main storm focus over far northern and far western NM as the 598dm H5 high centers over eastern NM. Drier upper level air rounding the base of the upper high will also stabilize the airmass while PWATs fall below 0.75" in most areas. Any of the storms over far northern and western NM will still be capable of very localized heavy rain and strong outflow wind gusts. Temps will continue to rise over the weekend and early next week with record-to-near- record highs in many areas, especially central and eastern NM.

The main change to the forecast is regarding the medium to extended range pattern. Recent model guidance has trended toward the monsoon high drifting farther west into southeast AZ while an upper level shortwave trough exits the northern Rockies on Monday. A moist backdoor cold front will attempt to move south into eastern NM sometime between Monday night and Tuesday night. This would serve to increase storm coverage over northern and eastern NM by mid next week along with trending temps several degrees cooler.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 530 PM MDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Scattered thunderstorms continue across the area as of 00z, with isolated showers and thunderstorms to persist as late as 06z across portions of west and east central NM. Outflow boundaries from evening storms may produce isolated gusts at or above 35kts at terminals through 03z, with lower gusts thereafter. The confidence for outflow boundary impacts is higher than TS or SHRA impacts to TAF sites this evening. Any direct TS or SHRA impact to terminals may lead to brief MVFR to IFR visibilities. Mainly light winds are expected overnight outside of brief gusty drainage winds near mountainous terrain. Afternoon thunderstorms are expected again near the end of the TAF period, mainly forming along the high terrain of NM after 18z, with similar hazards likely (gusty winds, brief MVFR/IFR visibilities).

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 106 PM MDT Thu Aug 20 2026

There is very little change to the latest forecast. The coverage of showers and storms with locally heavy rainfall will peak today and Friday then focus over far northern and far western NM thru early next week. New fire starts are still possible from lightning strikes in dry fuels. Burn scar flooding may also occur with repeated rounds of heavy rain. High pressure will strengthen over eastern NM this weekend and into early next week with decreasing storm coverage, high temps near record highs, and decreasing minimum RH. Humidity recoveries will be fair to good with the higher values over eastern NM. A possible uptick in storm coverage may begin Tuesday or Wednesday for parts of northern and eastern NM.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 67 98 64 96 / 20 10 30 5 Dulce........................... 53 93 50 91 / 10 40 40 50 Cuba............................ 58 90 59 90 / 40 20 30 20 Gallup.......................... 56 91 57 90 / 20 40 50 20 El Morro........................ 55 87 56 86 / 40 50 40 30 Grants.......................... 58 91 59 90 / 40 30 30 50 Quemado......................... 59 88 59 87 / 30 60 30 50 Magdalena....................... 63 89 64 89 / 30 30 20 20 Datil........................... 58 85 59 85 / 20 40 20 30 Reserve......................... 58 94 58 93 / 30 40 20 30 Glenwood........................ 61 99 64 98 / 10 20 10 20 Chama........................... 53 86 52 84 / 20 50 30 50 Los Alamos...................... 62 89 63 88 / 20 20 30 30 Pecos........................... 56 89 58 89 / 20 30 20 10 Cerro/Questa.................... 55 87 57 86 / 40 40 20 40 Red River....................... 45 83 45 85 / 30 60 20 60 Angel Fire...................... 41 83 42 82 / 20 50 20 60 Taos............................ 54 91 55 90 / 30 40 20 30 Mora............................ 55 86 55 85 / 20 40 20 50 Espanola........................ 63 96 62 96 / 30 20 20 10 Santa Fe........................ 61 90 63 90 / 30 20 20 5 Santa Fe Airport................ 60 93 61 93 / 20 20 20 5 Albuquerque Foothills........... 67 95 69 96 / 30 20 20 5 Albuquerque Heights............. 67 97 67 97 / 30 10 20 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 67 99 66 99 / 30 10 20 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 68 98 69 98 / 30 5 30 5 Belen........................... 65 98 65 99 / 20 10 20 0 Bernalillo...................... 67 99 68 99 / 30 10 20 5 Bosque Farms.................... 64 98 64 99 / 20 10 20 0 Corrales........................ 67 99 68 100 / 30 10 20 0 Los Lunas....................... 65 98 66 98 / 20 5 20 0 Placitas........................ 65 93 67 94 / 30 20 20 5 Rio Rancho...................... 67 98 68 98 / 30 5 30 5 Socorro......................... 70 100 69 100 / 20 10 10 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 61 89 62 89 / 30 20 20 5 Tijeras......................... 62 92 63 93 / 30 20 20 5 Edgewood........................ 59 93 59 94 / 30 30 20 10 Moriarty/Estancia............... 57 93 56 94 / 30 30 20 10 Clines Corners.................. 59 89 60 89 / 30 20 20 10 Mountainair..................... 60 91 59 92 / 30 30 20 5 Gran Quivira.................... 61 90 61 91 / 30 20 10 5 Carrizozo....................... 68 93 66 93 / 20 20 10 10 Ruidoso......................... 61 86 60 86 / 20 60 10 30 Capulin......................... 56 88 58 88 / 20 20 10 20 Raton........................... 56 91 57 91 / 20 20 10 20 Springer........................ 56 93 56 94 / 30 20 10 20 Las Vegas....................... 56 89 56 90 / 20 20 20 10 Clayton......................... 65 96 66 97 / 20 20 5 5 Roy............................. 61 92 61 93 / 20 20 0 5 Conchas......................... 67 100 67 101 / 20 10 10 0 Santa Rosa...................... 65 95 64 96 / 20 10 20 0 Tucumcari....................... 67 100 68 101 / 20 10 5 0 Clovis.......................... 69 99 68 100 / 30 20 10 0 Portales........................ 68 99 69 100 / 30 20 10 0 Fort Sumner..................... 69 99 68 100 / 30 10 20 0 Roswell......................... 71 103 70 103 / 5 0 10 0 Picacho......................... 66 95 66 96 / 5 5 10 5 Elk............................. 62 93 62 94 / 0 20 5 5

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.