textproduct: Midland/Odessa

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 222 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

- Temperatures will remain well above normal through the weekend with continued dry weather conditions.

- Cooler temperatures return by the early to middle part of next week and we are monitoring for the potential of at least low rain chances Tuesday and Wednesday.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Friday night) Issued at 222 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

Upper level northwest flow continues tonight and tomorrow keeping temperatures well above normal for the region. Overnight lows fall into the 40s and 50s for most, but average lows for late February are around the upper 30s to low 40s. Despite the passage of a cold front today, temperatures rebound a few degrees for Friday with most reaching into the 80s. The hottest spots will remain along Big Bend with the areas along the Rio Grande and low desert reaching the low to mid 90s. Lows on Friday night only settle into the 50s for many with the higher elevations dipping into the 40s.

-Stickney

LONG TERM

(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 222 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

An upper level ridge progged to be centered off the coast of Baja Saturday drifts east across northern Mexico through the remainder of the weekend. Increasing heights, northwesterly flow aloft, and a persistent lee trough extending down the Panhandle into the Big Bend promotes warmer temperatures Saturday compared to Friday. Widespread highs in the 80s are on tap Saturday, with 90s overlaying portions of the Trans Pecos, the Big Bend, and along the Rio Grande in general. The forecast at MAF calls for a high of 88 degrees on Saturday. Should this play out, we could rival our current daily record of 87 degrees set on 2/28/1940. Lows Saturday night mainly drop into the 50s. Sunday, highs in 90s expand in coverage to include more portions of the Trans Pecos and our southern counties. A few areas along the Rio Grande may warm near, or slightly exceed, the century mark Sunday afternoon. Similar to Saturday, Sunday's high at MAF could again challenge the previous record of 89 degrees, set on 3/1/2006, with a forecast high of 88 degrees. As the axis of the feature nears Sunday into Monday, it looks to become dampened by an Arctic trough spanning across the northern Plains to the northeastern CONUS. The surface high associated with this trough sends a cold front toward the area Sunday night into Monday morning, turning winds out of the northeast. There continues to be a broad spread in NBM temperatures Monday, given uncertainty in exactly where this front ends up and how strong it will be. As it stands, highs over southeast New Mexico, the Trans Pecos, and the Permian Basin are forecast to reach the 60s to 70s, while the Big Bend and areas near the Rio Grande reach the 80s to low 90s.

Our next weather maker, an upper level trough, swings across the western CONUS Monday into Tuesday, making an approach to our region sometime Tuesday. Depending on the exact track, southwesterly flow ahead of this system could pack enough lift and moisture to increase rain chances, especially over areas east of the Pecos River Tuesday and Wednesday. Another factor that would potentially enhance rain chances is where the aforementioned frontal boundary sets up. Some models indicate this feature stalling out somewhere within our region Tuesday and Wednesday. Regardless of rainfall, a stalled frontal boundary and overall lower heights due to troughing would result in highs ranging within the 70s and 80s Tuesday and Wednesday. Details with this system should start to become more clear as we head through the weekend.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1102 AM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

VFR conditions continue through the TAF period. Wind speeds around 10kts expected before becoming light this evening.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Big Spring 47 82 51 88 / 0 0 0 0 Carlsbad 48 84 50 87 / 0 0 0 0 Dryden 54 86 54 89 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Stockton 53 84 56 90 / 0 0 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 53 76 55 79 / 0 0 0 0 Hobbs 46 81 48 86 / 0 0 0 0 Marfa 43 81 44 84 / 0 0 0 0 Midland Intl Airport 49 83 53 88 / 0 0 0 0 Odessa 49 82 54 87 / 0 0 0 0 Wink 48 83 49 89 / 0 0 0 0

MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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