textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1203 AM MST Sun Mar 8 2026

- Breezy to windy conditions, very low humidities, and dry vegetation will increase the risk of rapid fire spread east of the central mountain chain today, Monday and from Thursday through Saturday.

- A warm storm system will spread rain showers, isolated thunderstorms, and high terrain snow mainly along and south of I-40 Monday night through Tuesday evening resulting in a little rainfall and a few cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

- Breezy to locally windy conditions with well above average temperatures will return Thursday through Saturday.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Monday) Issued at 1203 AM MST Sun Mar 8 2026

The latest water vapor satellite imagery shows the retrograding upper low offshore of the Baja Peninsula, with a dry airmass entrenched across NM. Weak ridging aloft over the region will be the story through Monday, with a warming trend that will take temperatures well above average areawide by Monday. Breezy to locally windy conditions will prevail across northeast and east central NM this afternoon and again on Monday due mostly to lee side troughing.

LONG TERM

(Monday night through Saturday) Issued at 1203 AM MST Sun Mar 8 2026

The previously mentioned upper low will move east toward NM from over the Baja Peninsula Monday night, with moisture advection ramping up and the onset of showers across west central and southwest NM. The upper low is modeled to fill and lift northeast across the state on Tuesday, bringing scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunder that will favor areas along/south of I-40. This system will be relatively warm aloft, with only the higher terrain of the central and southern mountains potentially picking up a few inches of snow. However, amounts are forecast to remain below advisory threshold and rain will be the predominant precipitation type. Due to the quick-hitting nature of this system precipitation amounts will be limited, with the southwest and south central mountains favored for 0.10" or more. A backdoor cold front will move south down the eastern plains early Wednesday behind the departing upper low, bringing brisk conditions with 10-15 degrees of cooling relative to Tuesday. The jet stream is forecast to remain well north of NM from Thursday through Saturday, but daytime mixing of moderate WNW flow aloft will result in breezy to locally windy afternoons/evenings, with a warming trend that will take temperatures well above average areawide by Friday.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1203 AM MST Sun Mar 8 2026

Breezes will remain light overnight with mostly clear skies overhead. On Sunday, a surface trough to the lee (east) of the Sangre de Cristos will develop and lead to stronger winds, primarily across east central to northeastern parts of New Mexico where gusts will occasionally reach 25 to 35 kt. Elsewhere, breezes will be considerably lighter on Sunday while once again mostly clear skies prevail.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1203 AM MST Sun Mar 8 2026

A deepening lee side trough will bring gusty westerly winds and critical fire weather conditions to much of northeast and east central NM today and again on Monday. A Pacific low will bring increased humidity and chances for wetting precipitation, focusing along/south of I-40, Monday night through Tuesday. A warming/drying trend is forecast from Thursday through Saturday under moderate west-northwest flow aloft, bringing breezy to locally windy conditions and well above average temperatures. There is an increasing threat for critical fire weather conditions, especially across eastern NM, from Thursday through Saturday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 60 28 67 36 / 0 0 5 20 Dulce........................... 57 21 64 29 / 0 0 5 20 Cuba............................ 59 28 65 35 / 0 0 10 40 Gallup.......................... 63 22 68 31 / 0 0 10 30 El Morro........................ 60 25 65 34 / 0 0 20 40 Grants.......................... 64 23 69 32 / 0 0 20 40 Quemado......................... 63 27 67 35 / 0 0 20 40 Magdalena....................... 63 37 68 40 / 0 0 20 50 Datil........................... 61 30 65 36 / 5 0 20 50 Reserve......................... 68 28 70 32 / 0 0 20 60 Glenwood........................ 73 33 75 34 / 0 0 20 60 Chama........................... 52 23 57 30 / 0 0 5 20 Los Alamos...................... 59 36 64 41 / 0 0 5 30 Pecos........................... 60 33 66 35 / 0 0 10 40 Cerro/Questa.................... 56 30 61 36 / 0 0 5 20 Red River....................... 49 26 54 27 / 0 0 5 20 Angel Fire...................... 53 22 58 23 / 0 0 5 20 Taos............................ 60 23 65 32 / 0 0 5 20 Mora............................ 61 34 66 34 / 0 0 5 30 Espanola........................ 66 28 72 36 / 0 0 5 30 Santa Fe........................ 61 32 66 40 / 0 0 10 30 Santa Fe Airport................ 64 29 70 38 / 0 0 5 40 Albuquerque Foothills........... 65 41 71 45 / 0 0 5 50 Albuquerque Heights............. 67 40 73 46 / 0 0 5 50 Albuquerque Valley.............. 69 31 75 38 / 0 0 10 50 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 67 36 73 44 / 0 0 5 40 Belen........................... 69 32 75 39 / 0 0 10 50 Bernalillo...................... 68 34 73 42 / 0 0 5 50 Bosque Farms.................... 69 30 75 37 / 0 0 10 50 Corrales........................ 68 33 74 41 / 0 0 5 50 Los Lunas....................... 68 31 74 38 / 0 0 10 50 Placitas........................ 63 37 70 44 / 0 0 5 50 Rio Rancho...................... 67 36 73 44 / 0 0 5 40 Socorro......................... 71 40 77 45 / 0 0 10 50 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 61 36 66 42 / 0 0 10 50 Tijeras......................... 61 37 67 42 / 0 0 10 50 Edgewood........................ 62 33 68 39 / 0 0 10 50 Moriarty/Estancia............... 65 23 70 30 / 0 0 10 50 Clines Corners.................. 61 32 66 37 / 0 0 10 50 Mountainair..................... 64 34 69 38 / 0 0 10 50 Gran Quivira.................... 64 35 69 38 / 0 0 10 50 Carrizozo....................... 68 42 72 43 / 0 0 10 50 Ruidoso......................... 63 37 67 39 / 5 0 20 50 Capulin......................... 63 27 70 33 / 0 0 0 20 Raton........................... 67 25 73 31 / 0 0 0 20 Springer........................ 68 26 74 32 / 0 0 5 20 Las Vegas....................... 64 34 70 36 / 0 0 5 30 Clayton......................... 71 38 77 44 / 0 0 0 20 Roy............................. 70 34 75 40 / 0 0 5 30 Conchas......................... 76 38 82 41 / 0 0 5 40 Santa Rosa...................... 72 37 77 41 / 0 0 10 40 Tucumcari....................... 77 41 83 44 / 0 0 5 30 Clovis.......................... 75 42 82 48 / 0 0 5 40 Portales........................ 76 41 82 47 / 0 0 5 40 Fort Sumner..................... 74 36 81 41 / 0 0 10 40 Roswell......................... 74 41 82 49 / 0 0 10 40 Picacho......................... 72 40 78 42 / 5 0 10 40 Elk............................. 69 38 75 40 / 5 0 20 30

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning from noon today to 8 PM MST this evening for NMZ104-123-125-126.

Fire Weather Watch from Monday afternoon through Monday evening for NMZ104-123-125-126.