Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
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811 FXUS65 KABQ 021802 AAC AFDABQ Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1102 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1102 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 - A strong west and southwest crosswind will impact travel over east central areas this afternoon, then a potentially stronger northwest crosswind will impact travel over east central and southeast areas Saturday afternoon. - Accumulating snow is expected across the northern and central mountains, upper Rio Grande Valley, and along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo, Sandia, and Manzano Mountains Wednesday afternoon through mid Thursday morning. This will result in a slick Thursday morning commute for these zones. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Tonight) Issued at 1236 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 In between weather systems, dry weather is forecast today and tonight. However, the flow aloft will speed up, and a surface low will develop over northeast NM today, causing west and southwest winds to gust in the 25-40 mph range east of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains to the Texas border. Wind speeds will weaken with sunset, except along the east slopes of the Sacramento Mountains where gusty winds will continue through tonight while brisk flow aloft lingers overhead. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 1236 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 A somewhat deep level trough and Pacific cold front will cross from the northwest with wintry precipitation beginning near the CO border Wednesday morning, then becoming more widespread Wednesday afternoon and especially Wednesday night. The latest model runs now depict accumulating snow wrapping up around sunrise Thursday morning, but areas of low clouds and fog will probably linger along and east of the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia Mountains early Thursday morning. A few ensemble members continue to indicate the storm system may briefly form a closed upper level low pressure system near the Four Corners Wednesday night, but the majority depict a more progressive open wave. Ahead of the system a fairly moist backdoor front will push through eastern areas tonight and Wednesday morning, with easterly upslope flow lingering until early Thursday morning. The easterly upslope flow will enable the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia Mountains to accumulate a few to around 4 inches of snow, with a 30% chance of 5 inches of snow near Raton. Models vary on how much snow the east central and northeast plains will receive. The NBM ensemble still depicts a roughly 35 percent chance of 2 inches of snow in southern Quay and eastern Union Counties. The northern mountains will be the big winners with this event, where a few to around 8 inches of snow are forecast with the heaviest amounts in the Sangre de Cristos. Other mountain ranges still have a roughly 20 percent chance of accumulating 2 inches of snow. If the storm system remains progressive as expected, the east canyon wind in the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas Wednesday night looks to be modest with gusts generally from 20-35 mph. Temperatures will tumble both Wednesday and Thursday with highs bottoming out Thursday afternoon around 3-17 degrees below 1991-2020 averages. In the wake of the storm system, dry northwest flow is forecast over the forecast area Friday through Monday. Winds will be a little gusty each day, especially over the mountains and east. The strongest winds are forecast for Saturday, when a disturbance exiting the central Rockies will strengthen the flow aloft over NM and produce northwest surface wind gusts from 30-45 mph along the central mountain chain, and southeastward from Clines Corners to around Clovis. High temperatures will also trend warmer Friday through Monday, except for some briefly cooler readings on Sunday behind a backdoor cold front on the eastern plains. By Monday afternoon, high temperatures will finally climb a few to around 10 degrees above 30-year averages areawide. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1102 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 Increasing mid level clouds moving into northwest and northern parts of the airspace this afternoon ahead of an approaching system, Breezy west winds across east central NM this afternoon south of lee surface low over northeast NM. Peak wind gusts of 30 to 40 kts between KCVN, KTCC, and KCQC. Winds tapers off after sunset. A band of mid level clouds moves south and east across the area overnight with a backdoor front entering northeast NM just before midnight. This backdoor front will be through all of eastern NM by sunrise Wednesday. Some potential for the backdoor front to push through the gaps of the central mountain chain mid Wednesday morning bringing a southeast (east) wind to KSAF (KABQ) around 15Z. Introduced a light wind at around 10 kts for now, but this will be refined closer. Low clouds moving to areas along the CO border beginning around sunrise Wednesday with snow developing across the higher terrain in this zone at the end of the TAF period. MVFR ceilings at KFMN at the end of the TAF period. Finally, this is the last TAF issuance for KLVS. No new TAF issuances or amendments will be issued from this point going forward. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1236 AM MST Tue Dec 2 2025 Minimum humidities are forecast to stay above 15 percent for the next seven days, except for a few pockets of near 15 percent humidity this afternoon from Grants to Magdalena and in Guadalupe and Quay Counties. Thanks to the strong winds forecast on the eastern plains today, locally critical fire weather conditions are expected in Guadalupe and Quay Counties this afternoon. As mentioned previously, stronger winds are forecast across the east on Saturday, but minimum humidities should be in the 25-40 percent range by then. Otherwise, areas of poor ventilation are forecast each day, except for more widespread poor ventilation on Thursday and Friday. The stronger winds over east central areas on Saturday will result in ventilation improvement there, then widespread poor ventilation is expected to return on Sunday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 43 29 39 23 / 5 5 40 0 Dulce........................... 43 20 36 19 / 5 10 70 40 Cuba............................ 44 23 38 19 / 0 0 20 40 Gallup.......................... 47 22 40 14 / 0 0 20 5 El Morro........................ 46 24 40 20 / 0 0 10 30 Grants.......................... 52 21 44 18 / 0 0 5 20 Quemado......................... 51 22 45 21 / 0 0 20 20 Magdalena....................... 54 30 50 27 / 0 0 0 10 Datil........................... 52 25 46 21 / 0 0 5 20 Reserve......................... 58 22 52 19 / 0 0 10 10 Glenwood........................ 61 27 58 22 / 0 0 5 10 Chama........................... 39 17 32 15 / 5 10 90 70 Los Alamos...................... 43 27 39 23 / 0 0 20 80 Pecos........................... 47 24 38 18 / 0 0 10 90 Cerro/Questa.................... 43 22 35 18 / 0 0 60 90 Red River....................... 35 16 27 11 / 0 0 80 100 Angel Fire...................... 41 10 31 5 / 0 0 70 90 Taos............................ 45 18 38 18 / 0 0 30 80 Mora............................ 50 21 35 14 / 0 0 30 90 Espanola........................ 50 22 45 23 / 0 0 10 70 Santa Fe........................ 45 27 40 23 / 0 0 10 80 Santa Fe Airport................ 46 25 43 22 / 0 0 10 80 Albuquerque Foothills........... 48 33 47 30 / 0 0 5 60 Albuquerque Heights............. 50 28 49 29 / 0 0 5 50 Albuquerque Valley.............. 53 27 51 29 / 0 0 5 50 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 51 30 48 29 / 0 0 10 50 Belen........................... 53 23 53 28 / 0 0 5 30 Bernalillo...................... 52 27 49 28 / 0 0 10 60 Bosque Farms.................... 52 23 52 28 / 0 0 5 40 Corrales........................ 52 27 49 28 / 0 0 10 60 Los Lunas....................... 53 25 52 29 / 0 0 5 30 Placitas........................ 47 30 46 28 / 0 0 5 70 Rio Rancho...................... 51 29 48 28 / 0 0 10 50 Socorro......................... 58 30 58 30 / 0 0 5 30 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 45 26 42 23 / 0 0 5 70 Tijeras......................... 45 27 45 24 / 0 0 5 70 Edgewood........................ 47 23 45 21 / 0 0 10 70 Moriarty/Estancia............... 49 18 46 19 / 0 0 10 60 Clines Corners.................. 45 23 40 18 / 0 0 5 70 Mountainair..................... 48 26 47 23 / 0 0 10 50 Gran Quivira.................... 49 26 49 23 / 0 0 5 40 Carrizozo....................... 53 32 55 28 / 0 0 5 30 Ruidoso......................... 49 33 49 25 / 0 0 0 40 Capulin......................... 51 21 30 13 / 0 0 60 80 Raton........................... 53 21 35 15 / 0 0 80 90 Springer........................ 55 22 38 17 / 0 0 30 80 Las Vegas....................... 53 22 38 17 / 0 0 10 90 Clayton......................... 55 27 37 20 / 0 0 30 60 Roy............................. 55 25 39 20 / 0 0 20 70 Conchas......................... 60 25 46 24 / 0 0 5 60 Santa Rosa...................... 56 27 45 24 / 0 0 0 70 Tucumcari....................... 62 26 47 23 / 0 0 0 60 Clovis.......................... 59 29 51 25 / 0 0 0 30 Portales........................ 59 27 52 26 / 0 0 0 30 Fort Sumner..................... 60 27 51 25 / 0 0 0 50 Roswell......................... 64 31 59 29 / 0 0 0 20 Picacho......................... 62 32 56 26 / 0 0 0 20 Elk............................. 61 32 59 23 / 0 0 0 10 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from noon Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday for NMZ210-212>216-227>229. Winter Weather Advisory from 5 PM Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday for NMZ223. && $$ SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....44 AVIATION...71