textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 122 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

- Hazardous crosswinds will create difficult travel for large and high-profile vehicles this afternoon and again Thursday and Friday mainly across eastern NM.

- Critical fire weather conditions will increase the threat for rapid fire spread from any new fires through this evening. These conditions return Thursday across northeast and east central NM, as well as a majority of the state Friday.

- A hard freeze is forecast Friday night into Saturday morning across portions of central, western and northern NM. Take precautions to protect early blooming plants.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 122 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Strong southwesterly winds will slowly decrease this evening across northern and central New Mexico. As the parent storm system slides eastward across Colorado through the overnight hours, an associated cold front will bring cooler temperatures to NM. On average, low temperatures will be around 10 degrees cooler than last night. In addition to mountain areas and common colder locations across west central NM, a few other lower elevation areas, including Farmington, the Santa Fe Metro, and Moriarty will see temperatures fall below freezing for an hour or two early Wednesday morning.

A trailing trough will continue to cross the state on Wednesday. Though this will pass with little fanfare, breezy westerly winds will return to east central NM with gusts near 25 or 30 mph. High temperatures will be near to just shy of normal. Winds will taper off Wednesday evening.

LONG TERM

(Thursday through Monday) Issued at 122 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Flow will back to the southwest on Thursday in advance of an strong upper level trough diving southward toward UT. H7 flow will increase to between 25 and 30kt by the late afternoon hours and H5 flow will only be marginally stronger. Nonetheless, strong mixing and a deepening lee side trough will allow surface winds to increase areawide with gusts between 25 and 40 mph. High temps will warm 5 to 10 degrees areawide. On Friday, the system will cross the central and northern Rockies with the base of the trough crossing northern NM. The NAM appears to be the outlier showing a slower progression. H7 winds will increase to between 40 and 50kt while a surface low deepens near the CO/OK/NM border. This will bring strong winds to much of the area once again, with the strongest winds across north central and northeast NM. Additionally, a Pacific cold front will race from west to east, and the strongest gusts of the day are most likely to occur with the frontal passage. Temperatures will cool quickly behind the front. Areas across NW NM will be upwards of 20 degrees cooler on Friday than on Thursday. Areas of blowing dust may develop, especially in areas that have received little rainfall as of late.

After the winds decrease Friday evening, excellent radiational cooling will allow temperatures to drop like a rock. A hard freeze (<=28 degrees) is on tap for much of northern and western NM, plus areas around Moriarty and Clines Corners. This would be a damaging freeze for any budding or blooming plants. However, even areas across the Albuquerque Metro will see low temperatures fall near or just below the freezing mark.

Quieter conditions with weak ridging will be the rule on Saturday. Surface winds will veer around to the southeast and south, slowly drawing up Gulf moisture Saturday night into Sunday. At least for now, nothing more than sprinkles is expected for Sunday. Instead, southerly winds will increase Sunday and breezy to windy conditions are expected across much of eastern NM during the afternoon. Though the upper level pattern is uncertain on Monday, it appears that low level moisture will continue to creep in from the south, though storms still look to be scarce.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1116 AM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Light showers continue across north central NM late this morning. These showers will continue to gradually diminish in coverage through the afternoon, though mountain obscurations will remain possible. MVFR cigs around KGUP earlier this morning will continue to gradually rise. Strong southwest winds have already developed across the area and will persist through early evening. Gusts between 35 and 45kt will be common along and east of the Central Mountain Chain, while gusts up to 30kt will be common along and west of the Rio Grande Valley. Less wind is on tap for Wednesday, though breezy westerly winds will be favored across east central NM in the afternoon.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 122 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Critical fire weather conditions will persist through early evening across eastern NM. Lighter winds are expected on Wednesday, though locally critical conditions remain on tap for the Clines Corners area. Critical fire weather conditions will return for Thursday and Friday. A dry slot will cross the state on Thursday, and strong mixing will bring the drier air as well as stronger winds to the surface. Several hours of single digit RH, generally between 5 and 10 hours, are expected across all but the high terrain. Southwest winds will not be as strong as today, but will be above critical thresholds, especially across eastern NM. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for all of northeast and east central NM for Thursday afternoon and evening. Wind and RH thresholds are also being met near Gallup/western portions of Zone 105, but this area just received wetting rainfall and ERC values are quite marginal, so have held off on a watch. Winds will turn more westerly and northwesterly on Friday and increase as the base of an upper level trough crosses northern NM. An associated cold front will also cross the state, dropping temperatures and inching RH values upward. Critical fire weather conditions will be favored across eastern NM, but a few hours of critical conditions will also impact portions of central and western NM. Quieter conditions on Saturday, but critical conditions look to return to northeast NM on Sunday as strong southerly winds return. Less confidence exists for Monday as moisture will be increasing, but near- critical conditions are not out of the question for northeast NM.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 31 65 33 73 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 23 61 22 67 / 5 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 28 61 31 68 / 5 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 24 64 25 69 / 5 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 28 60 30 66 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 26 65 26 71 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 31 61 30 67 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 36 65 37 71 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 32 61 33 67 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 30 68 28 70 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 34 73 32 76 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 23 53 25 60 / 0 5 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 36 60 40 67 / 0 5 0 0 Pecos........................... 30 61 35 67 / 5 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 28 58 33 63 / 0 10 0 0 Red River....................... 24 48 26 53 / 0 10 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 22 54 21 61 / 0 5 5 0 Taos............................ 25 62 25 68 / 0 5 0 0 Mora............................ 29 61 33 67 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 34 68 33 73 / 0 5 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 34 62 37 68 / 5 5 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 33 66 34 71 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 41 68 43 74 / 5 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 42 70 42 76 / 5 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 38 72 39 79 / 5 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 40 71 40 77 / 5 0 0 0 Belen........................... 37 73 34 79 / 5 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 39 70 40 77 / 5 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 35 73 34 78 / 5 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 40 72 40 78 / 5 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 36 72 36 78 / 5 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 39 66 41 72 / 5 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 41 71 41 76 / 5 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 42 74 40 80 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 37 63 39 68 / 5 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 37 64 39 70 / 5 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 35 65 34 71 / 5 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 29 66 27 73 / 5 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 33 62 35 69 / 5 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 33 65 35 71 / 5 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 35 64 36 71 / 5 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 41 67 41 72 / 5 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 38 61 41 67 / 10 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 29 61 31 69 / 0 5 0 0 Raton........................... 29 67 30 74 / 0 10 0 0 Springer........................ 30 67 29 75 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 31 64 34 70 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 40 68 41 79 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 35 67 36 75 / 0 5 0 0 Conchas......................... 39 76 39 82 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 40 71 39 79 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 42 78 43 85 / 5 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 45 77 44 83 / 10 0 0 0 Portales........................ 45 78 42 83 / 10 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 42 76 39 82 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 47 81 43 86 / 5 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 42 73 41 79 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 38 71 37 76 / 5 0 0 0

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ104-123-125- 126.

Wind Advisory until 7 PM MDT this evening for NMZ223-226>236-240.

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