textproduct: El Paso

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 525 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

- Heat Advisory in effect for Rio Grande Valley below El Paso through Hudspeth County until 9 PM MDT.

- Near record high temperatures through the end of the week, with lowland temperatures reaching the triple digit mark most afternoons.

- Isolated rain showers and storms in the mountains Wednesday, better chance for rain for the whole area on Thursday and Friday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1035 PM MDT Tue Aug 25 2026

Upper level high pressure will continue to control our weather through the end of the week, but then we will see a pattern change. On Wednesday the upper level ridge will begin to drift to the west. We will still have a hot day on Wednesday, but not quite as hot as Tuesday. The lower Rio Grande Valley below El Paso, looks like they will be hot enough to need a heat advisory, but much of the lowlands will fall just short of heat advisory criteria (105F). Without the upper level ridge sitting directly over southern New Mexico, the mountains will be able to fire off a few showers and thunderstorms. For Thursday the upper level ridge will basically be in the same position over the New Mexico/Arizona border, but some moisture will push into the region from the east. This moisture will help fuel scattered mountain and lowland thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening. By Friday the upper level ridge will be back on the move again and it will be centered over central New Mexico. Rain chances will again be limited to area mountains and locations west of Rio Grande. High temperatures for Thursday and Friday will drop a few more degrees so that by Friday afternoon most lowlands locations will see high temperatures a little below 100F.

For Saturday and Sunday the upper level ridge will be well to our east which will set up a decent monsoon flow pattern. Unfortunately almost all of the moisture will be pushed into Arizona. Rainfall both days will be limited to area mountains and locations along the New Mexico and Arizona border. High temperatures both days will run 4 to 8 degrees above average.

For the start of the week, an approaching West Coast trough (haven't talked about one of those in several months), will push some of that monsoon moisture back to the east, so we will see a chance for afternoon and evening thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday for much of the area. High temperatures in the lowlands both days will run at or a little below the triple digit mark.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 525 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

VFR conditions will continue with SKC-FEW120-250. Light and variable winds are expected to become south to southeasterly (130-180) by 18z with speeds up to 10 knots and a few gusts to 20 knots. A wind shift is expected from the east or north, depending on site, between 3z and 6z, which may bring a period of gustiness. Additionally, ISO SHRA and TSRA are possible this evening, especially at TCS, but confidence of occurrence is low.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 525 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

We will see another day of hot and dry conditions although highs will be a couple degrees cooler than Tuesday for most locations. Min RH values will be in the lower teens for the lowlands. Area mountains, especially the Sacramento-Capitan Mountains, will see a chance for showers and thunderstorms with a very low chance these storms move into the lowlands. Winds will be light with good venting. Moisture will increase for Thursday, giving the entire area a chance for showers and thunderstorms.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

El Paso 76 101 75 99 / 0 10 40 0 Sierra Blanca 68 97 66 94 / 10 20 10 10 Las Cruces 71 100 70 98 / 10 10 60 0 Alamogordo 70 99 68 97 / 20 20 40 30 Cloudcroft 53 75 51 73 / 20 40 50 70 Truth or Consequences 73 99 71 97 / 10 20 40 0 Silver City 68 94 66 91 / 0 30 40 30 Deming 72 102 71 100 / 0 0 40 0 Lordsburg 73 101 72 99 / 0 0 20 0 West El Paso Metro 78 101 76 99 / 10 10 40 0 Dell City 70 99 69 97 / 0 20 10 10 Fort Hancock 75 105 74 102 / 10 20 10 10 Loma Linda 69 93 68 91 / 0 30 30 10 Fabens 74 102 73 100 / 0 10 20 10 Santa Teresa 74 100 73 97 / 10 10 50 0 White Sands HQ 76 100 73 98 / 10 10 50 0 Jornada Range 72 100 70 97 / 10 10 60 0 Hatch 73 104 72 101 / 10 10 60 0 Columbus 75 102 75 100 / 0 0 30 0 Orogrande 70 98 68 95 / 10 10 40 10 Mayhill 57 86 55 85 / 20 70 40 60 Mescalero 56 86 55 85 / 20 40 50 60 Timberon 55 84 54 82 / 10 50 40 60 Winston 63 90 61 89 / 10 50 40 30 Hillsboro 71 99 68 96 / 10 30 50 10 Spaceport 71 99 69 97 / 10 10 50 0 Lake Roberts 61 92 59 90 / 0 50 40 60 Hurley 68 97 66 94 / 0 20 40 10 Cliff 70 102 68 99 / 0 20 30 20 Mule Creek 68 98 67 96 / 0 0 20 20 Faywood 70 96 68 93 / 0 20 50 10 Animas 71 102 71 101 / 0 0 20 0 Hachita 71 100 70 98 / 0 0 30 0 Antelope Wells 70 101 69 98 / 0 0 20 0 Cloverdale 68 96 67 93 / 0 10 20 10

EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 9 PM MDT this evening for Rio Grande Valley of Eastern El Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties-Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County.

NM...None.