Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Issued by NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
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955 FXUS64 KMAF 210517 AFDMAF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 1117 PM CST Thu Nov 20 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1114 PM CST Thu Nov 20 2025 - Strong winds over the Guadalupe Mountains through this evening. - Rain chances are ending. Cooler temperatures and drier weather returns Friday, then another round of moderate to high (40% to 65%) shower/storm chances this weekend. - Drier weather with occasional breezy winds over higher terrain each afternoon late weekend into early next week. A strong cold front midweek brings near to below average temperatures to the area by Thanksgiving. && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Friday night) Issued at 102 PM CST Thu Nov 20 2025 Current radar imagery shows light to moderate rain showers across the southern Permian Basin into the Lower Trans Pecos, along with a line of showers and thunderstorms over far west Texas. Additional development of showers and storms are forecast beginning this afternoon across portions of southeast New Mexico and west Texas. High resolution guidance has this activity moving quickly to the east ahead of an approaching Pacific front. The severe weather threat remains very low due to limited instability. PWATs remain very high (exceeding the 90th percentile) where heavy rainfall is expected, especially with the stronger storms. The flash flood threat remains low given how fast storms will move, however, if multiple rounds of heavy rainfall train over similar areas, then flash flooding may occur. Strong (40 mph sustained winds and near 60 mph gusts) west winds are anticipated to develop behind the Pacific front over the Guadalupe Mountains this afternoon lasting through tonight. These winds will make travel conditions difficult for high profile vehicles especially near Guadalupe Pass. High temperatures today are expected to reach the mid 60s to mid 70s for many locations. The peak of these temperatures were likely seen for many spots earlier this morning, thanks to the extended cloud cover and precipitation expected throughout today. Tonight, the Pacific front moves east of the region, pushing the rain and storms out of the area. Lows are forecast to span from mid 30s to mid 40s as cooler and drier air behind the front entrains over the region. This will set up a more seasonable weather day across west Texas and southeast New Mexico on Friday as highs are forecast to be in the low 60s to low 70s. Friday night into Saturday morning, another upper low moves across southern California into the Baja California region which will establish more chances of rain later in the weekend. See the long- term discussion for more details! Lamberson && .LONG TERM... (Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 102 PM CST Thu Nov 20 2025 Beginning on Saturday, an upper storm system over the Pacific and Desert SW develops east, driving a Pacific cold front and accompanying focusing of moisture and forcing for ascent east as well. Low (20% to 30%) rain probabilities over the Concho Valley into southeast Permian Basin Saturday morning expand northwest and increase to moderate to high (40% to 65%) by late Saturday evening. Widespread cloud cover keeps highs a few degrees cooler compared to Saturday, but maintaining the general 50s F higher elevations, 60s and 70s F elsewhere setup. Persistent easterly upslope winds lead to dew point temperatures increasing into the 50s and lower 60s F east of western higher terrain by Saturday night, inhibiting efficient overnight cooling and resulting in lows only falling into the 40s and 50s F for most. Rain chances taper off from west to east Sunday afternoon, and the storm system`s departure induces breezy westerly downsloping winds that develop, promoting a drying trend for locations east of the mountains. Amounts by the time rain chances have decreased back to near zero are still uncertain this far out. Highs Sunday a few degrees warmer than Saturday are forecast as adiabatic warming from downsloping winds offsets CAA behind the Pacific cold front. Lows Sunday night drop back into the 30s and 40s F on west/northwest winds and dew point temperatures decreasing back into the 30s and 40s F east of western higher terrain. In the wake of the weekend storm system, warmer and drier conditions prevail early next week under southwest flow before cooler weather again returns to the area by midweek. Monday highs similar to Sunday apart from 80s F over the Big Bend and lows again falling into the 30s and 40s F give way to similar highs Tuesday as ridging holds. Troughing over the central CONUS rapidly develops a strong cold front over the northern Intermountain West/Rockies, which quickly progresses into the Southern Great Plains. Tuesday night lows approach freezing over western higher terrain and parts of northern Lea County into Permian Basin as south/west winds shift to north/northeast. The strong cold front brings a colder air mass to the area by Wednesday, with highs struggling to rise above 60s F higher elevations and SE NM plains into most of Permian Basin, lower to mid 60s F, and 70s F limited to southern Rio Grande basins and Terrell County. By Wednesday night, lows fall near to below freezing for Lower Trans Pecos, Davis Mountains and surrounding foothills, basins of Culberson County, and northern SE NM plains into northern Permian Basin, with lows remaining chilly but above freezing on northeast slopes and farther east/south over the Upper Trans Pecos and Permian Basin and in the upper 30s to mid 40s F elsewhere. By Thanksgiving, temperatures moderate some back into the 60s and 70s F for much of the area as timing of cold front has trended to an earlier passage on Wednesday. Uncertainty remains on how the upper air pattern and temperatures develop into the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1114 PM CST Thu Nov 20 2025 VFR conditions prevail and winds generally become light overnight. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 72 44 71 41 / 50 20 0 0 Carlsbad 69 42 69 38 / 60 0 0 0 Dryden 79 50 78 51 / 70 10 0 0 Fort Stockton 79 46 73 45 / 30 10 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 58 39 57 42 / 70 0 0 0 Hobbs 68 39 67 37 / 50 0 0 0 Marfa 68 33 67 37 / 30 0 0 0 Midland Intl Airport 73 45 69 43 / 60 10 0 0 Odessa 72 44 68 43 / 60 10 0 0 Wink 72 41 69 39 / 60 0 0 0 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. NM...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM....94 AVIATION...99