textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 152 PM MDT Fri Mar 13 2026

- A risk of rapid fire spread will continue over the central highlands this afternoon before expanding across most areas this weekend.

- Damaging wind gusts will impact portions of central and eastern New Mexico Saturday night through Sunday.

- Most areas will experience a hard freeze Sunday night, including within the Rio Grande Valley.

- A strong area of high pressure will move over the region going into the middle of next week resulting in record warmth for March.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 152 PM MDT Fri Mar 13 2026

A belt of stronger mid level flow bisecting the state from northwest to southeast is mixing down to the surface this afternoon causing a few gusts between 25 and 35 mph from KFMN to KCQC and KROW. These winds will diminish with sunset. Otherwise, warmer today with plenty of sunshine and continued above normal low temperatures tonight.

On Saturday, a weak upper level trough over the Pacific northwest will quickly deepen and dive southward toward the Central Rockies. Across NM, this will mean that mid level wind speeds will increase during the late afternoon hours, increasing from around 20 kt at noon to between 30 and 40kt by 6pm. With high temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal and well above average mixing, some of this momentum will mix down to the surface by the late afternoon hours. Additionally, a 990-992 surface low over eastern CO will increase the surface pressure gradient across NM. All-in-all, westerly winds will increase early across portions of eastern NM, while winds across western NM will increase during the mid to late afternoon hours when the stronger winds aloft arrive. At their peak, gusts between 30 and 40 mph are expected, though slightly lower wind gusts are likely across far east central NM. Temperatures will climb another few degrees and daytime humidity values will be dreadfully low.

On Saturday evening, winds will attempt to decouple at lower elevations, but as mid level winds continue to increase with the approaching trough, wind speeds at higher elevations will continue to climb, especially near and after midnight when H7 winds climb to between 50 and 70kt. Mountain wave activity will bring this higher momentum down to lower elevations just east of the Central Mountain Chain, including near KCQC, early Sunday morning.

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 152 PM MDT Fri Mar 13 2026

By mid morning Sunday, both the Pacific and backdoor cold front will begin their trek across NM. With each frontal boundary, stronger winds and even drier conditions are expected with the frontal passage. Dewpoints will fall to or below zero (likely below) and daytime RH values will still be less than 15 percent despite cooling temperatures behind the front. Northwest winds with gusts between 45 and 60 mph are expected behind the Pacific front across much of central and western NM, except just east of the East Mountains and South Central Mountains where gusts may reach 70 mph. Winds will be more northerly behind the backdoor front across eastern NM, but gusts of 60 to 70 mph are also likely. A High Wind Watch has been issued for all areas along and east of the Central Mtn Chain, as well as the Santa Fe and ABQ Metro areas. At least Wind Advisories will be needed elsewhere, but this High Wind Watch could be expanded a bit westward with later updates. High temperatures on Sunday will fall on the order of 20 degrees from Saturday's readings, though northeast NM will fall as much as 35 degrees from Saturday. High temperatures in the 40s and 50s will be common across northern NM, and 60s to 70s across the southern portion of the CWA.

Winds will diminish Sunday night, though the backdoor front may briefly push westward through the gaps of the Central Mountain Chain in the evening to bring a light gap wind to the Rio Grande Valley. However, by early Monday morning, winds should be light everywhere. Meanwhile, dewpoints will still be below zero. Radiational cooling conditions won't be ideal because high clouds will be passing overhead, but a hard freeze seems increasingly likely across most of northern and central NM. The last hard freeze (<=28 degF) for the ABQ Sunport was Feb 22, and this also happened to be the only hard freeze in February. Those with early blooming fruit trees or other garden plants will need to take action to protect them.

Winds will decrease on Monday, both aloft and at the surface, but those places that are normally breezy to windy in northwest flow will be again on Monday. This includes areas from KFMN to KAEG and KCQC. Temperatures will be below normal across eastern NM, though western and northern areas will bounce back upward several degrees. All areas will be in the 50s and 60s.

Thereafter, less wind but record warmth looks to be on tap as an strong upper level high shifts over the Desert Southwest. High temps will jump 10 to 25 degrees for Tuesday, but record warmth looks to largely hold off until Wednesday and continue through the end of the week. Forecast temps for the end of next week will be more like what is normal for late May. All-time March records will likely be superseded.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1121 AM MDT Fri Mar 13 2026

VFR conditions will prevail for the next 24 hours. A belt of stronger winds will impact areas from KFMN to KAEG to KROW through the afternoon hours with gusts between 20 and 32kt. Winds will diminish this evening, but westerly winds will begin to increase once again late Saturday morning.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 152 PM MDT Fri Mar 13 2026

Marginal critical fire weather conditions will persist across the Central Highlands through this evening where gusty northwest winds will persist. Near-critical to critical fire weather conditions will become more widespread on Saturday as winds increase. Westerly winds will increase areawide, but will start earlier and linger longer across eastern NM. Several hours of single digit RH is forecast for portions of central and eastern NM as well. Have upgraded the Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning for the Northeast Highlands, Northeast Plains and the Central Highlands and extended the RFW through midnight. Have left the remainder of the area in a Fire Weather Watch but shortened the time span from mid afternoon through early evening. Winds will continue to increase Saturday night at mountain top level, but mountain wave activity will bring this stronger momentum to lower elevations just east of the Central Mtn Chain by early Monday morning. By mid morning, both Pacific and backdoor cold fronts will enter northern NM and then will race southward through the day. Much stronger winds and even drier conditions will follow. Gusts between 50 and 70 mph are expected with several hours of single digit RH across central and western NM. Critical to extreme fire weather conditions are expected areawide despite cooling temperatures. Less wind is in store for Monday but breezy to windy conditions will still be felt from the Northwest Plateau to the Central Highlands. Temperatures warm up after Monday. Less wind and record heat is on tap for the mid to late week period.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 32 74 36 53 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 28 70 32 54 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 32 72 36 51 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 25 74 36 56 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 31 69 37 56 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 26 75 36 57 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 35 73 40 61 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 42 75 47 65 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 37 71 44 61 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 33 76 35 70 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 37 79 37 78 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 28 63 29 49 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 42 69 43 52 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 37 70 40 54 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 35 66 36 45 / 0 0 0 5 Red River....................... 29 56 30 35 / 0 0 0 10 Angel Fire...................... 21 62 30 44 / 0 0 0 10 Taos............................ 27 70 32 50 / 0 0 0 5 Mora............................ 36 70 37 51 / 0 0 0 5 Espanola........................ 35 77 44 60 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 37 71 44 54 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 33 73 42 58 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 45 77 48 60 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 43 79 47 62 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 39 81 46 64 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 41 80 48 62 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 36 83 46 69 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 40 80 48 62 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 35 81 44 66 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 40 80 48 62 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 36 82 47 67 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 42 75 47 58 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 42 79 48 62 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 43 84 50 73 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 43 72 45 55 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 43 72 45 56 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 40 73 45 56 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 30 76 44 58 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 37 70 40 53 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 40 75 44 59 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 40 73 45 60 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 46 76 47 68 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 45 71 48 62 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 34 72 29 43 / 0 0 0 20 Raton........................... 30 79 30 51 / 0 0 0 20 Springer........................ 32 78 37 53 / 0 0 0 10 Las Vegas....................... 36 75 41 53 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 41 81 33 45 / 0 0 0 20 Roy............................. 38 79 41 51 / 0 0 0 5 Conchas......................... 38 85 46 62 / 0 0 0 5 Santa Rosa...................... 42 80 51 64 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 38 87 45 60 / 0 0 0 5 Clovis.......................... 42 86 48 63 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 40 87 50 67 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 40 86 51 67 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 43 89 52 76 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 43 82 53 73 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 42 79 50 72 / 0 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Fire Weather Watch from Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening for NMZ101-105-109-120>122-124.

Fire Weather Watch from Sunday morning through Sunday evening for NMZ101-104>106-109-120>126.

Red Flag Warning from noon Saturday to midnight MDT Saturday night for NMZ104-123-125.

High Wind Watch from late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon for NMZ212>215-218-219-221>224-226>240.

Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ125.