textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1222 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

- High temperatures continue to be 5 to 10 degrees above average resulting in moderate to major heat risk across much of New Mexico, especially the Rio Grande Valley. Record high temperatures are expected for 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 continue to impact air quality across northern New Mexico.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 1222 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

The 18Z KABQ upper air sounding showed a 500mb height of 598dam, which is a new calendar day record and correlates with record heat at the surface. The Monsoon high will continue to be anomalously strong over the area through Friday and center over the UT/AZ border, with another day of moderate to major heat risk forecast. Another Heat Advisory has been issued for Friday for the Northwest Plateau, West Central Highlands, Espanola and middle Rio Grande Valleys. Both Farmington and Albuquerque are continuing their longest all-time consecutive 100+ degree day streaks for the month of August, with today being day 4 at KABQ and day 5 at Farmington.

The latest NAM is advertising dCAPE values of 2,000-2,500J/kg across northeast and east central NM later today and again Friday, which is sufficient for a convective damaging wind threat and the SPC has included this area in a marginal risk for severe storms on the day 1 outlook. Storms that develop across the Southwest and South Central mountains this afternoon will be in a higher PWAT environment and more capable of producing locally heavy rainfall. Friday will be close to a carbon copy of today, with a continued convective damaging wind threat across northeast and east central NM.

Lastly, the HRRR is still showing the potential for smoke impacts across northern NM from wildfires across the region, with the more notable concentrations near the CO border. That said, concentrations are not expected to be high enough to warrant an Air Quality Alert.

LONG TERM

(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 1222 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

The Monsoon high will move back southeast to over west central NM and weaken to near 595dam at 500mb from Saturday into Sunday. A moderate to major heat risk will continue for much of the area and more Heat Advisories will likely be required for the Northwest Plateau and middle RGV. Daytime heating initiated convection that develops this weekend will continue to favor strong/erratic wind gusts over soaking rains, except for over the southern mountains where more efficient rain-making is likely due to a higher PWAT atmosphere. The forecast trends next week will be for decreasing heat impacts and increasing thunderstorm impacts as the Monsoon high weakens further and moves slowly east to into TX.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1222 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist through the TAF period. Strong/erratic wind gusts are likely with iso/sct showers and storms this afternoon/evening, but low probabilities of impacts at TAF sites. Gusty outflow may impact the KABQ/KAEG/KSAF airspace between 01-05Z. Otherwise, winds will be light.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1222 PM MDT Thu Aug 6 2026

Critical fire weather conditions are not forecast through at least the next seven days. Unusually hot and dry conditions for early August will persist through this weekend, especially across northwest and portions of central NM as the Monsoon high dominates over the region. Chances for wetting storms will favor the southern mountains and portions of northeast NM through the weekend. Temperatures will trend down and humidity will trend up next week as high pressure weakens and a more normal Monsoon pattern shapes up.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 62 101 66 101 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 53 99 56 98 / 0 0 5 0 Cuba............................ 58 95 60 94 / 0 5 0 5 Gallup.......................... 58 96 59 95 / 10 0 0 10 El Morro........................ 57 91 57 90 / 20 10 0 40 Grants.......................... 57 96 59 95 / 10 5 5 10 Quemado......................... 61 91 59 90 / 20 20 20 30 Magdalena....................... 66 92 64 90 / 20 20 40 5 Datil........................... 60 88 58 86 / 20 30 20 20 Reserve......................... 59 95 58 93 / 20 50 20 30 Glenwood........................ 64 98 62 97 / 20 60 20 40 Chama........................... 53 91 55 90 / 0 10 5 20 Los Alamos...................... 64 93 63 91 / 5 20 5 20 Pecos........................... 57 92 57 91 / 10 40 10 20 Cerro/Questa.................... 59 91 57 90 / 10 20 0 20 Red River....................... 49 81 49 81 / 10 40 0 20 Angel Fire...................... 45 85 42 86 / 10 40 0 30 Taos............................ 58 95 57 94 / 10 20 0 10 Mora............................ 53 89 54 89 / 10 40 10 30 Espanola........................ 66 100 64 99 / 5 10 0 10 Santa Fe........................ 64 93 62 92 / 10 30 5 10 Santa Fe Airport................ 62 96 60 95 / 10 20 5 5 Albuquerque Foothills........... 69 100 68 98 / 10 20 10 5 Albuquerque Heights............. 71 100 68 98 / 10 10 10 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 70 102 67 100 / 10 10 10 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 69 101 68 99 / 10 5 10 0 Belen........................... 67 101 66 99 / 10 5 20 0 Bernalillo...................... 68 102 66 100 / 10 10 5 0 Bosque Farms.................... 66 100 64 99 / 10 10 10 0 Corrales........................ 67 103 67 100 / 10 10 10 0 Los Lunas....................... 66 101 64 99 / 10 5 10 0 Placitas........................ 67 98 66 96 / 10 20 10 0 Rio Rancho...................... 69 102 68 100 / 10 10 5 0 Socorro......................... 70 102 69 101 / 10 10 40 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 61 94 61 92 / 10 30 20 10 Tijeras......................... 64 94 62 92 / 10 30 20 10 Edgewood........................ 60 96 59 94 / 10 40 20 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 57 97 55 95 / 10 40 20 10 Clines Corners.................. 60 92 59 90 / 10 50 30 10 Mountainair..................... 62 94 59 93 / 20 40 40 0 Gran Quivira.................... 62 92 59 90 / 20 50 40 0 Carrizozo....................... 69 94 64 92 / 20 30 30 10 Ruidoso......................... 61 86 58 85 / 20 30 20 30 Capulin......................... 57 89 58 90 / 20 20 20 20 Raton........................... 56 93 56 93 / 10 30 10 20 Springer........................ 57 95 55 96 / 10 30 10 20 Las Vegas....................... 57 91 56 91 / 10 40 10 20 Clayton......................... 63 97 65 97 / 20 10 20 0 Roy............................. 61 92 60 93 / 20 20 20 0 Conchas......................... 67 100 65 100 / 30 10 50 0 Santa Rosa...................... 67 96 64 95 / 30 20 50 0 Tucumcari....................... 69 101 65 100 / 30 5 50 0 Clovis.......................... 69 99 66 98 / 10 0 20 0 Portales........................ 69 99 67 99 / 5 0 10 0 Fort Sumner..................... 72 99 67 98 / 20 0 40 0 Roswell......................... 73 101 70 100 / 0 0 5 0 Picacho......................... 67 96 65 95 / 10 5 10 0 Elk............................. 62 93 60 92 / 10 10 5 5

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ201-207-217-219.

Heat Advisory from noon to 8 PM MDT Friday for NMZ201-207-217- 219.