textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 440 AM MST Fri Feb 13 2026

- A Pacific system will bring widespread rain showers, isolated thunderstorms, and mountain snow this afternoon through early Saturday. A few inches of snow are forecast above 8,500ft with minor travel impacts possible in the mountains. - The jet stream will bring increasingly windy conditions next week, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, with potential for more precipitation across western and northern NM.

- There is a threat for the rapid spread of fire across eastern NM early next week, especially with stronger winds on Tuesday and Wednesday.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Saturday night) Issued at 1246 AM MST Fri Feb 13 2026

Forecast confidence remains moderate with the upcoming system thru Saturday morning. A moist upper level trough approaching from the west today will spread numerous showers and isolated storms into the region thru mid to late afternoon. The interaction of several weaker waves embedded within the trough axis will make the details on the placement of QPF very tricky. The latest probs for >0.25" of liquid are still focused mostly along the Cont Divide and the northern mts while a more pronounced dry slot focuses from Socorro County to the north and east across east-central and northeast NM. Temps are still warm for mid February so snow levels will remain above 8,500 ft thru this evening before falling to near 7,000 ft by sunrise Saturday. There are no changes to the Winter Wx Advisory and overall impacts given the expected snowfall amounts will be minor.

Lingering rain/snow showers along and east of the central mt chain Saturday morning will give way to clearing from west to east with brisk northerly winds. Min temps Saturday night will fall below freezing for the entire region (except perhaps Roswell).

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 1246 AM MST Fri Feb 13 2026

Sunday will feature warming temps with lighter winds as an upper level ridge crests over the southern Rockies.

The ridge will break down Monday with increasing southwest winds and even warmer temps (10-20F above normal). Wind gusts of 25 to 35kt will be common areawide with decreasing humidity. Winds aloft will continue increasing Monday night with advisory level gusts possible near the central high terrain before sunrise Tuesday. Even stronger west winds will spread to much of central and eastern NM Tuesday afternoon with widespread Wind Advisory gusts above 50 mph and perhaps localized High Wind Warnings. A quick shot of rain/snow is possible for northern and western NM Tuesday with a couple inches of snow above 7,000 ft.

Strong west/southwest winds appear to continue Wednesday but not as strong as Tuesday. Another fast-moving upper level wave will race thru the southern Rockies Wednesday night and Thursday with more wind and another burst of rain/snow for the north and west. West winds over eastern NM may exceed advisory levels once again. Temps with each of the upper waves will become progressively cooler and possibly near to below normal by Thursday.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 440 AM MST Fri Feb 13 2026

Deteriorating weather conditions thru this afternoon will create widespread impacts to the airspace thru tonight. Numerous showers and isolated TS will spread northeast thru late this morning with widespread MVFR or low VFR cigs/vsbys by 5pm. Snow will develop in the northern mts by mid to late afternoon with mt obscurations and areas of IFR likely. IFR will spread to most of northern and western NM after sunset with areas of rain and patchy fog in the lower elevations. Precip will clear from west to east overnight as low pressure shifts east along the I-40 corridor. Breezy south to southwest winds will also accompany this system today with gusts up to 25kt possible at times.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1246 AM MST Fri Feb 13 2026

A moist storm system moving thru NM today thru early Saturday will bring wetting precip to much of the high terrain of northern and western NM. A dry slot may impact the area from the lower RGV into east-central and northeast NM. Sunday will be tranquil with warmer temps and lighter winds.

A fire growing pattern is still in store for eastern NM next week. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions are possible beginning Monday depending on how strong winds trend but humidity is already more likely to be subcritical. The strongest winds are expected to develop Tuesday and even into Wednesday with very low humidity and receptive fuels over eastern NM. RFTI grid values show widespread critical to locally extreme fire weather Tuesday and Wednesday over eastern NM. The windy and dry pattern may continue Thursday for eastern NM. Meanwhile, western NM may experience periodic bursts of rain/snow with a few inches of snow possible Tuesday and Thursday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 52 34 56 29 / 80 70 0 0 Dulce........................... 54 28 54 20 / 90 90 20 0 Cuba............................ 53 30 51 24 / 90 100 10 0 Gallup.......................... 49 23 56 17 / 90 80 0 0 El Morro........................ 49 31 52 25 / 90 90 10 0 Grants.......................... 54 27 55 16 / 90 80 5 0 Quemado......................... 53 32 51 24 / 80 70 5 0 Magdalena....................... 58 35 56 32 / 70 70 5 0 Datil........................... 53 33 51 26 / 70 50 0 0 Reserve......................... 57 28 60 23 / 90 60 10 0 Glenwood........................ 62 30 65 27 / 80 70 5 0 Chama........................... 49 26 49 20 / 90 90 20 0 Los Alamos...................... 52 34 52 32 / 80 90 10 0 Pecos........................... 56 30 54 27 / 80 90 30 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 52 32 49 27 / 70 90 30 0 Red River....................... 44 27 40 22 / 70 90 40 0 Angel Fire...................... 49 21 46 13 / 70 90 40 0 Taos............................ 55 30 53 18 / 70 90 20 0 Mora............................ 53 28 53 24 / 70 90 20 0 Espanola........................ 60 33 59 26 / 70 90 10 0 Santa Fe........................ 55 35 54 32 / 80 90 30 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 57 34 56 29 / 70 90 10 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 62 41 58 36 / 70 90 10 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 63 38 60 34 / 70 90 10 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 65 36 63 31 / 70 90 10 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 62 38 61 33 / 70 90 5 0 Belen........................... 64 35 63 27 / 60 80 5 0 Bernalillo...................... 64 38 62 33 / 70 90 10 0 Bosque Farms.................... 64 33 63 27 / 60 90 10 0 Corrales........................ 64 38 62 32 / 70 90 5 0 Los Lunas....................... 64 35 63 29 / 60 90 5 0 Placitas........................ 59 38 57 35 / 70 90 10 0 Rio Rancho...................... 62 38 61 32 / 70 90 5 0 Socorro......................... 67 38 66 32 / 50 70 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 56 35 53 31 / 70 90 20 0 Tijeras......................... 57 36 54 32 / 70 90 20 0 Edgewood........................ 59 35 56 28 / 70 90 10 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 62 31 58 22 / 60 90 10 0 Clines Corners.................. 57 32 52 28 / 60 80 10 0 Mountainair..................... 60 34 56 29 / 60 80 10 0 Gran Quivira.................... 60 34 57 29 / 50 70 5 0 Carrizozo....................... 64 38 59 33 / 50 60 10 0 Ruidoso......................... 57 35 52 32 / 50 50 10 0 Capulin......................... 58 30 48 24 / 20 70 30 0 Raton........................... 59 31 52 22 / 30 80 30 0 Springer........................ 62 30 56 22 / 30 80 10 0 Las Vegas....................... 57 30 55 26 / 50 80 10 0 Clayton......................... 61 38 54 30 / 10 70 40 0 Roy............................. 61 34 56 27 / 20 70 20 0 Conchas......................... 67 35 63 29 / 30 60 20 0 Santa Rosa...................... 66 38 60 30 / 40 60 10 0 Tucumcari....................... 66 37 62 30 / 30 50 20 0 Clovis.......................... 69 40 60 34 / 50 50 30 0 Portales........................ 71 40 62 32 / 60 50 30 0 Fort Sumner..................... 69 36 62 30 / 50 50 20 0 Roswell......................... 69 41 66 35 / 40 40 10 0 Picacho......................... 67 37 63 33 / 40 20 5 0 Elk............................. 65 33 62 29 / 40 30 5 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 5 AM MST Saturday for NMZ210-213-214.