textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 535 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026

- Moderate to major heat risk will impact many lower elevations of New Mexico through this weekend, except northeast New Mexico on Tuesday. Record high temperatures are expected on several days over central and western New Mexico.

- Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue through the weekend. Stronger storms will produce gusty outflow winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning strikes.

- Smoke from wildfires in Utah, Nevada, and Colorado may begin to impact are quality across northern New Mexico Tuesday through Thursday.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 217 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026

A 594 to 595 dam 500 mb upper high has flattened over much of the desert SW. Generally drier air remains in place with PWATS around 0.5 to 0.9 inches. This combined with downslope surface southwest and west winds has allowed the heat to be the main story across the forecast area today. Record highs in the upper 90s to mid 100s are expected across lower elevations this afternoon. All time August records will be threatened or broken across western and central NM (102 at the ABQ Sunport and Farmington Four Corners, 100 at Raton Crews, 99 at Santa Fe, and 98 at Gallup). Heat Advisories are in effect for northwest, central and much of northeast NM until 8 PM this evening. Isolated to scattered storms will mainly be confined to Gila Mountains and far northeast NM through mid this evening.

A disturbance moving across the northern Rockies and Great Plains this evening will send a backdoor front through northeast NM and east central NM Tuesday morning. Some gusts of up to 35 mph along with some patchy smoke mid to late Tuesday morning across far northeast NM behind this front. The front will help to cool down high temperatures by 5 to 15 degrees compared to today across north central, northeast, and east central NM. Additionally, PWATS increase to around 0.8 to 1.2 inches for most areas, outside of 0.5 to 0.7 inches across northwest NM. This will result in a better coverage of showers and storms along a line from northeast NM down to southwest NM during the afternoon and early evening hours. A few storms across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and adjacent highlands could become strong to severe due to better bulk shear values of 35 to 40 kts. Another very hot day is expected across northwest, west central and the middle and lower RGV with high temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s. For that reason, Heat Advisories has been issued once again for Farmington, Gallup, Grants and Albuquerque. Outflow boundaries from storms across the southwest mountains and east slopes of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains will help to result in a better coverage of thunderstorms across the ABQ Metro Tuesday evening. Any storms across the area Tuesday evening will taper off before midnight.

LONG TERM

(Wednesday through Sunday) Issued at 217 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026

The 594 to 595 dam 500 mb high over NM and AZ Tuesday looks to reintensify to 598 to 599 dam and expand northwest to the Great Basin by Thursday before pivoting back to over the Four Corners and weakening to around 596-598 dam this weekend. High temperatures will not be as hot as today, but still hotter than average for early August with mid 90s to low 100s common across lower elevations. Diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances will favor the higher terrain and nearby lower elevations along with the northeast and east central plains through Friday before shifting to mainly western and central NM this weekend.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 535 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026

Isolated SHRA/TS over the region late this afternoon will give way to scattered sprinkles and broken mid level cigs thru late this evening. Gradual clearing will occur with lighter winds after midnight. A backdoor front will move south into northeast NM early Tuesday morning with northerly wind gusts of 25 to 30KT from KRTN to KCAO and perhaps KLVS and KTCC. This boundary will become a trigger for SHRA/TS along the central mt chain Tuesday afternoon. Storm motion will be south-southeast around 10KT with heavy rain, gusty winds, and frequent lightning strikes from the stronger cells.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 217 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026

No critical fire weather concerns through late next week. Mostly dry and hot today. Widespread daily and monthly record high temperature records will be threatened. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms across the Gila Mountains and far northeast NM this afternoon. Cooler to not as hot across northeast and east central NM tomorrow behind a backdoor front with a better coverage of showers and thunderstorms from a line along southwest to northeast NM. Hot across lower elevations with diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances favoring the higher terrain and nearby lower elevations along with the northeast and east central plains through Friday before shifting to mainly western and central NM this weekend.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 65 102 64 101 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 55 96 54 95 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 62 94 60 94 / 0 0 10 0 Gallup.......................... 61 98 59 97 / 0 0 0 5 El Morro........................ 58 93 58 92 / 5 5 10 20 Grants.......................... 62 97 60 96 / 5 5 10 10 Quemado......................... 61 94 61 93 / 20 5 30 20 Magdalena....................... 66 95 65 94 / 10 20 50 40 Datil........................... 61 92 59 91 / 20 40 30 50 Reserve......................... 61 96 59 94 / 20 30 30 50 Glenwood........................ 64 96 63 92 / 20 40 30 50 Chama........................... 55 88 54 88 / 0 0 0 5 Los Alamos...................... 66 90 64 91 / 0 30 20 30 Pecos........................... 60 87 59 91 / 5 30 20 10 Cerro/Questa.................... 57 88 56 89 / 0 20 20 10 Red River....................... 50 77 48 78 / 5 40 30 10 Angel Fire...................... 44 82 42 84 / 5 60 30 20 Taos............................ 59 92 56 93 / 0 20 20 5 Mora............................ 57 82 54 87 / 0 50 20 30 Espanola........................ 66 96 64 98 / 0 30 20 10 Santa Fe........................ 64 92 63 93 / 0 30 20 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 63 95 62 96 / 5 20 20 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 72 99 69 99 / 5 20 40 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 74 100 71 100 / 10 10 40 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 71 102 68 102 / 10 10 40 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 72 101 70 101 / 5 10 30 0 Belen........................... 69 102 67 102 / 10 10 30 0 Bernalillo...................... 70 102 68 102 / 5 10 30 0 Bosque Farms.................... 68 102 66 102 / 10 10 40 0 Corrales........................ 71 102 69 102 / 5 10 30 0 Los Lunas....................... 68 102 66 102 / 10 10 30 0 Placitas........................ 70 99 67 99 / 5 20 30 0 Rio Rancho...................... 71 101 69 101 / 5 10 30 0 Socorro......................... 73 102 72 101 / 5 5 40 10 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 65 93 62 94 / 5 30 40 5 Tijeras......................... 66 95 63 96 / 10 30 50 0 Edgewood........................ 63 93 61 96 / 10 30 40 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 60 93 57 96 / 10 10 40 20 Clines Corners.................. 64 89 61 91 / 10 0 30 20 Mountainair..................... 64 93 61 94 / 10 20 40 20 Gran Quivira.................... 64 93 62 93 / 10 20 40 10 Carrizozo....................... 70 95 67 93 / 5 10 10 10 Ruidoso......................... 64 87 60 86 / 5 20 10 30 Capulin......................... 58 81 56 88 / 10 20 30 50 Raton........................... 58 86 54 92 / 10 50 40 30 Springer........................ 60 90 56 95 / 10 40 40 20 Las Vegas....................... 59 86 57 92 / 5 20 20 30 Clayton......................... 66 85 63 92 / 20 0 10 20 Roy............................. 64 88 62 92 / 20 0 20 10 Conchas......................... 71 97 68 100 / 20 0 20 0 Santa Rosa...................... 68 96 67 98 / 20 0 10 5 Tucumcari....................... 71 99 69 101 / 10 0 10 0 Clovis.......................... 69 99 68 99 / 0 5 0 0 Portales........................ 70 99 69 99 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 71 99 70 99 / 0 0 5 0 Roswell......................... 72 102 71 101 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 68 97 66 96 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 64 93 61 92 / 0 5 0 5

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ201-204-205-207- 211-212-217>222-228-231>234.

Heat Advisory from noon to 8 PM MDT Tuesday for NMZ201-205-207- 219.