textproduct: Albuquerque

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 557 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026 - Virga showers will continue to produce localized, brief, and erratic wind gusts up to 45 mph across much of northern and central New Mexico until early this evening.

- Lightning and strong winds from thunderstorms along the central mountain chain and nearby highlands Sunday afternoon and early evening. A few storms across the south central high terrain could produce severe wind gusts and large hail.

- Gusty north winds across eastern New Mexico Sunday morning and east canyon winds across central New Mexico Sunday evening will result in difficult crosswinds for high profile vehicles.

- Minor to moderate risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations Tuesday from record temperatures in the 90s across lower elevation areas.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Sunday night) Issued at 203 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

It's a warm day across northern and central NM this Saturday with temperatures around 10 degrees above average for early to mid May. Daytime heating ahead of a shortwave over the northern and central Rockies has resulted in the development of high based clouds across the higher terrain. Going into the mid afternoon some high based showers could develop across north central and northeast NM near the CO border. These showers will have the potential to produce erratic wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. Elsewhere, breezy northwest winds with gusts of 25 to 40 mph across northwest and north central NM this afternoon. Any high based shower activity across far northern NM will quickly taper off at sunset.

A backdoor front will enter far northeast NM during the evening hours before a much stronger and reinforcing backdoor front surges through all of eastern NM early to mid Sunday morning. Strong north winds will exist along and behind the front with peak gusts around 35 to 45 mph. A few brief gusts around 50 mph on the leading edge of the front cannot be ruled out at a few sites across the eastern plains. Will also have some low clouds across far northeast and east central NM behind the strong backdoor front. Temperatures across the eastern plains on Sunday will be 15 to 25 degrees cooler than today because of the backdoor front and morning clouds. The backdoor front will be draped along the east slopes of the central mountain chain come midday Sunday, East to northeast upslope flow from the backdoor front, higher moisture in the form of PWATS around 0.50 inches and dewpoints in the mid 30s to low 40s, upper level support from the aforementioned shortwave, and instability from daytime heating (MLCAPE of 600-1200 J/kg) will result in the development of high based showers and thunderstorms along the central mountain chain and adjacent eastern highlands Sunday afternoon. Main risk from these thunderstorms will be strong and erratic wind gusts with small wetting footprints of 0.25 to 0.5 inches under cores of the storms. A few storms across the south central mountains and nearby highlands could become severe with 60 mph wind gusts and 1" hail due to better 0-6 km shear of 35 to 40 kts.

The outflows from storms across the central mountain chain will help push the backdoor front through the gaps of the central mountain chain Sunday evening resulting in a gusty east canyon wind for locations including Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Carrizozo. Peak wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph near canyon openings. Any shower and thunderstorm activity across the central mountain chain should taper off around sunset with the loss of daytime heating. Rainfall from Sunday's storms combined with low surface dewpoint depressions and light winds will result in the potential for some low cloud and patchy fog development around sunrise Monday morning.

LONG TERM

(Monday through Friday) Issued at 203 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

A 586 to 587 dam upper level high at 500 mb over southern CA Sunday will gradually shift east towards New Mexico strengthening to 589 to 590 dam Monday. This upper high will allow temperatures to warm up around 5 to 10 degrees across western and central NM and 10 to 20 degrees across northeast and east central NM (due to downslope southwest winds) compared to Sunday. A few sprinkles with gusty and erratic winds cannot be ruled out across the southern high terrain Monday afternoon. The upper high moves over New Mexico Tuesday with a peak 500 mb height around 591 to 592 dam. These heights are around the daily max for mid May, so near record to record highs are expected areawide! With temperatures in the upper 80s to mid 90s across lower elevations of western and central NM, and mid to upper 90s across eastern NM, a risk for heat related illnesses exists for those sensitive to heat and lacking in cooling and hydration.

The upper high shifts east of the state mid to late next week as upper level troughing moves over Pacific NW and Intermountain West. Low chances for high based showers and storms across the western and central high terrain Wednesday and Thursday afternoon due to daytime heating and weak disturbances embedded in the southwest flow. High temperatures will slightly cool down with low to mid 80s across western NM, mid 80s to low 90s across the RGV, and 90s across the eastern plains.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 557 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

Isolated-to-scattered virga showers will continue to produce localized, brief, and erratic wind gusts up to 40 KT across much of northern and central NM until mid evening. Meanwhile, isolated and light rain showers and thunderstorms will also continue in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains until 20Z, or so. Around midnight tonight, a gusty backdoor cold front will dive southwestward into the northeast plains, then progress to Roswell by around 12Z. Along and behind the cold front tonight into Sunday morning, north and northeast wind gusts will probably peak around 35 KT, except up to 45 KT around Clovis and Portales from 12-18Z Sunday. The front will push through gaps in the central mountain chain into Santa Fe with a modestly gusty southeast wind shift around 15 or 16Z Sunday morning. Moisture behind the front will enable areas of low clouds to produce MVFR and localized IFR conditions late tonight until mid afternoon Sunday across the far northeast and east central plains (as far south as Clovis and Portales). In addition, moisture delivered by the front will enable scattered- to-isolated showers and thunderstorms to develop along and just east of the central mountain chain on Sunday afternoon, except for more numerous cells around Las Vegas, NM. This activity will move toward the southeast around 10-20 KT. A few cells south of I-40 may turn severe with damaging wind gusts and large hail. The backdoor cold front aided by thunderstorm outflow will then push through gaps in the central mountain chain late Sunday afternoon and evening with east canyon wind gusts generally from 25-35 KT with the strongest gusts at the Albuquerque International Sunport.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 203 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

No critical fire weather conditions are expected through late next week. Gusty and erratic winds with gusts up to 45 mph from high based showers across far north central and northeast New Mexico this afternoon and early evening. Much cooler across eastern New Mexico Sunday due to a strong backdoor front early Sunday morning. Showers and thunderstorms across the central mountain chain and nearby highlands Sunday afternoon and early Sunday evening. Small wetting footprints of 0.25 to 0.5 inches under stronger storms. A few storms across the south central high terrain could become severe. East canyon winds across central New Mexico Sunday evening. Heating up areawide Monday before near record to record heat on Tuesday as an upper high moves east and over the state. Slightly cooler mid to late next week with isolated high based showers and storms across the western and central high terrain Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Dry lightning from these isolated storms on rapidly drying fuels could result in future fire starts.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Farmington...................... 46 81 47 87 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 34 78 34 83 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 45 76 40 81 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 43 80 38 85 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 48 78 45 82 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 48 80 42 85 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 49 79 44 83 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 55 77 47 81 / 0 0 0 5 Datil........................... 52 77 45 81 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 47 86 42 89 / 5 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 49 90 46 92 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 35 72 34 78 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 54 74 48 79 / 0 5 0 5 Pecos........................... 47 69 39 78 / 0 40 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 42 69 40 77 / 10 10 0 0 Red River....................... 37 58 34 66 / 20 20 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 34 63 28 73 / 10 40 0 0 Taos............................ 39 73 34 81 / 5 5 0 0 Mora............................ 45 64 38 78 / 0 50 0 5 Espanola........................ 50 80 45 86 / 0 5 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 51 73 44 79 / 0 10 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 49 77 42 82 / 0 5 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 59 82 51 84 / 0 5 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 56 83 48 86 / 5 5 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 55 86 48 89 / 5 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 57 84 50 87 / 5 0 0 0 Belen........................... 55 85 46 88 / 5 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 55 84 49 88 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 54 85 44 88 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 56 85 49 89 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 55 85 46 88 / 5 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 58 79 50 82 / 0 5 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 56 84 49 88 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 61 87 52 90 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 54 75 46 79 / 0 10 0 0 Tijeras......................... 54 77 46 80 / 0 10 0 0 Edgewood........................ 51 75 41 81 / 0 20 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 48 75 36 83 / 0 20 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 48 67 39 78 / 0 50 0 0 Mountainair..................... 51 74 41 81 / 0 20 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 52 74 43 79 / 0 30 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 59 78 50 82 / 5 30 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 56 68 47 75 / 0 40 5 20 Capulin......................... 42 59 36 76 / 10 20 0 0 Raton........................... 45 65 37 82 / 10 20 0 0 Springer........................ 46 68 38 84 / 10 20 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 49 64 40 80 / 0 70 0 0 Clayton......................... 49 63 42 80 / 10 10 0 0 Roy............................. 48 66 41 79 / 5 10 0 0 Conchas......................... 55 72 44 87 / 5 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 53 71 42 83 / 0 10 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 56 71 43 86 / 5 5 0 0 Clovis.......................... 55 70 45 84 / 5 0 0 0 Portales........................ 55 72 44 85 / 5 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 57 74 44 83 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 60 81 51 83 / 0 5 0 0 Picacho......................... 57 74 48 81 / 0 20 5 0 Elk............................. 55 72 46 81 / 0 30 10 5

ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.