textproduct: Midland/Odessa

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1041 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026

- Cold tonight with lows in the upper teens to upper 20s.

- Near to below normal temperatures are forecast through much of next week behind a series of cold fronts.

- Low (10-20%) rain chances Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night over the southern Big Bend and Presidio Valley. Otherwise, the forecast remains dry.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Sunday night) Issued at 1237 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026

Surface high pressure and dry northwest flow aloft keep hold over the region into tonight. Temperatures will be some of the coldest of the season and certainly the coldest of the calendar year, so far. Clear skies and light winds allow efficient cooling and temperatures dip into the low to mid 20s for most. Upper 20s to low 30s hang on across Big Bend, but teens will be seen in the higher elevations and across northern portions of the CWA. Temperatures rebound to near normal on Sunday with most in the upper 50s to low 60s. Another chilly not is expected Sunday with lows dropping into the upper 20s to 30s. Precipitation of any kind is not expected in the short term.

-Stickney

LONG TERM

(Monday through Friday) Issued at 120 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026

Northwesterly to westerly flow aloft will remain prevalent over west Texas and southeast New Mexico through the early to middle part of next week between a large scale trough over the eastern U.S. and a dominant upper-level ridge over the west coast. A shortwave trough clipping the central Plains will send another cold front through our forecast area on Monday. Breezy E/NE winds and cooler temperatures in the mid 40s to lower 50s can be expected over much of southeast New Mexico and the adjacent central and northern Permian Basin behind the front on Monday. Low temperatures Monday night/early Tuesday morning will also trend colder in the upper teens to mid 20s over southeast New Mexico and much of west Texas (except for readings in the upper 20s to mid 30s over southern portions of the area).

A shortwave trough will move across Mexico Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. Moisture along the far northern fringe of this passing feature may clip the southern Big Bend region and bring a very low (10-20%) chance of light rain showers to places along and south of a Presidio, Lajitas, Chisos Basin line Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night. Rainfall amounts, if any, would be very light as the bulk of deeper moisture associated with the passing system looks to remain well to the south over Mexico. Surface high pressure will gradually shift to our east as surface troughing takes shape in the lee of the Rockies on Tuesday. Residual influence from the surface ridge in combination with plentiful mid/upper cloud cover streaming over our southern CWA, as well as potential for lower level cloud cover holding from the Trans Pecos into the Permian Basin should serve to keep temperatures several degrees below normal in the upper 40s to lower 50s over much of our region Tuesday. Temperatures should briefly rebound back into the upper 50s to upper 60s over most of our area by Wednesday before yet another passing cold front brings temperatures back down into the mid 50s to lower 60s for most by Thursday. Surface troughing looks to develop over much of our region again by Friday ahead of yet another front that may be diving into the Texas panhandle. This would bring warmer temperatures in the mid 60s to around 70 degrees for much of our area on Friday. Aside from the very low POP clipping the southern Big Bend Tuesday afternoon/night, dry weather conditions are expected to prevail over the CWA through the extended forecast period.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1041 PM CST Sat Jan 17 2026

VFR prevails with light winds becoming west by afternoon.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Big Spring 22 60 27 50 / 0 0 0 0 Carlsbad 23 61 30 52 / 0 0 0 0 Dryden 25 62 30 62 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Stockton 27 65 34 59 / 0 0 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 26 52 34 50 / 0 0 0 0 Hobbs 22 60 27 48 / 0 0 0 0 Marfa 18 58 26 63 / 0 0 0 0 Midland Intl Airport 24 59 29 52 / 0 0 0 0 Odessa 25 58 29 52 / 0 0 0 0 Wink 22 62 27 55 / 0 0 0 0

MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...None. NM...None.