textproduct: Midland/Odessa

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 542 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

- Temperatures will trend back to slightly above normal readings Monday through Saturday.

- Low to medium (20-50%) rain chances return late Thursday through Saturday. The best chance of rain will be over our western counties.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Monday night) Issued at 219 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Surface observations show that winds have veered back to southerly flow this morning. This combined with sunny skies yield highs in the 60s and 70s this afternoon. Tonight, temperatures will only bottom out into the 40s and 50s. Mid to upper-level ridging begins to build aloft on Monday, allowing for highs to top out into the 70s and low 80s. Tuesday night lows are forecast to be warmer than tonight's, with tempertures only falling into the 50s. The warming trend continues into the long term period (see Long Term discussion below for additional details).

Greening

LONG TERM

(Tuesday through Saturday) Issued at 219 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Upper-level ridging will continue to build across west Texas and southeast New Mexico Tuesday through Thursday. A southerly to southeasterly surface flow will also prevail each day as surface high pressure shifts over the eastern CONUS and as a surface trough takes shape in the lee of the Rockies. Mostly clear skies and dry weather conditions will continue through Thursday afternoon. High temperatures will trend back to near to slightly above normal values in the upper 70s to mid 80s for most places, while overnight lows generally range in the mid 50s to lower 60s. The next system we will be monitoring will be an upper-level trough lifting over the Desert Southwest Thursday night into Friday. The upper-level ridge will shift to the east of our region late this week as southwesterly flow aloft increases in advance of this system. Increasing moisture/ascent will bring a chance of rain showers and a few thunderstorms back into the forecast over western portions of our forecast area Thursday night and Friday. Additional tropical moisture may spread northward over Mexico into west Texas and southeast Mexico Friday night and Saturday in the southwesterly flow aloft ahead of the trough. Confidence remains low on the progression of the trough late this week into this weekend, so for now rain chances remain highest over western portions of the CWA (generally 30-50%) Friday night into Saturday, and lower (10-30%) over our eastern zones during this time. Little change in daily temperatures is forecast through next Saturday, with highs generally averaging in the 70s and 80s with morning lows in the 50s to lower 60s.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 542 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

VFR conditions will prevail next 24 hours in light return flow, w/some high clouds.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Big Spring 50 78 55 80 / 0 0 0 0 Carlsbad 52 81 55 83 / 0 0 0 0 Dryden 50 75 56 78 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Stockton 56 83 59 84 / 0 0 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 52 75 55 77 / 0 0 0 0 Hobbs 48 76 52 78 / 0 0 0 0 Marfa 49 77 53 80 / 0 0 0 0 Midland Intl Airport 52 77 56 79 / 0 0 0 0 Odessa 52 77 56 79 / 0 0 0 0 Wink 53 81 57 83 / 0 0 0 0

MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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