Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
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929 FXUS65 KABQ 291132 AAA AFDABQ Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 532 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 526 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 - Flash flooding is at a heightened risk statewide through Wednesday. A surge of monsoonal moisture will continue to bring widespread and long duration showers and thunderstorms. - River flooding is favored Tuesday through Friday. Low-lying farmland, fields, low water crossings, and property near rivers may experience minor flooding. - Thunderstorms across southeast New Mexico may bring increased wind gusts and the potential for a tornado Tuesday and Tuesday night. Gusty winds will increase the potential for downed trees in saturated soils and hazardous crosswinds for high-profile vehicles. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Wednesday) Issued at 1243 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 Areas of rain are currently moving east-northeast across the state ahead of an upper low currently centered over Las Vegas, NV. Potential for some embedded storms across eastern NM during the overnight hours. Overall rainfall amounts through sunrise Tuesday will be around 0.1 to 0.25 inches across the eastern plains and around 0.5 to 1.25 inch across western and central NM with locally to 1.5 to 2 inches across north central NM. During this time, Hurricane Polo will be moving across Baja California and the Gulf of California before making landfall into Sonora Mexico mid Tuesday morning. The upper low slowly moves into western AZ during the day on Tuesday helping to pull Polo`s moisture across northwest Mexico and southern NM. Rain with embedded storms (capable of producing hourly rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches an hour) increases in coverage and intensity across southern NM during the midday and afternoon hours moving across central and eastern NM Tuesday evening and the early morning hours of Wednesday. This is when the flash flood risk will be the highest across these portions of the state. 1 to 2.5 inches is expected across most areas with locally 3+ inches, especially across eastern NM, during this time period. A moderate risk (40 to 55% within 25 miles of a point) for excessive rainfall remains across the state outside of far northwest and southeast NM through 6 AM MDT Wednesday. Creeks, streams, and rivers will need to be monitored for gradual to quick rises with some potentially reaching action to minor flood stage. Daily rainfall records could be challenged for some locations (current record for the Albuquerque observing station is 2.08 inches back on September 28th, 1893). Another thing to watch late Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning will be the potential for breezy to gusty winds across southern and eastern NM (and some gusty east canyon winds across the ABQ and Santa Fe Metros) as Polo`s remnant mid level circulation moves northeast ahead of the upper low over AZ. The overall risk looks lower compared to the prior 2 to 3 forecasts but any brief strong wind gusts could easily bring down trees and result in some power outages due to the saturated soils in place. Polo`s remnant mid level circulation will also help to increase the effective bulk shear across southeast and east central NM to 35 to 50 kts, so any embedded storms will be capable of producing damaging/severe wind gusts up to 60 mph and an isolated tornado or two. Polo`s remnant moisture exits northeast NM mid to late Wednesday morning as the upper low circulation moves into western NM. The highest coverage of showers and storms across north central and northeast NM where the best synoptic lift and surface upslope flow will reside. A moderate risk for excessive rainfall will continue across far northeast NM. Additionally, scattered showers and storms will develop during the day across western and central NM around and on the backside of the upper low. East central and southeast NM look to remain fairly dry due to a dryslot moving over these areas ahead of the upper low circulation. Rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.25 inches across far north central and far northeast NM could result in more flooding with a slight to moderate risk (15 to 40%) for excessive rainfall in place. High temperatures during this time will be in the 50s to mid 60s across western and central NM and upper 60s to mid 70s across eastern NM. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday night through Monday) Issued at 1243 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 Some lingering showers/storms across northeast NM Thursday on the backside of the exiting upper low along with gusty north winds behind a potent backdoor front. Some wind advisories may need to be issued for the northeast highlands and plains. Temperatures rebound closer to average across western and central NM Thursday Streams and rivers will be higher and fast flowing during this time as the early week rainfall moves downstream through various channels. The backdoor front pushes through the rest of eastern NM Thursday afternoon resulting in breezy north winds. The upper high over the eastern Pacific Thursday moves east to over the Great Basin and Four Corners Friday and this weekend resulting in a splendid 1st weekend of October. High temperatures outside of mountain peaks will be in the mid 60s to mid 70s. Fog will be a concern, especially in valley locations, during the early to mid morning hours each day during this time due to the saturated grounds in place. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 526 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 Widespread rain will bring IFR and MVFR cigs and vsbys to all of northern and central NM over the next 24 hours. Very localized LIFR cigs are possible as well (as evident by KSAF early this morning). As forcing increases today as an upper low shifts over AZ, embedded thunderstorms will become more numerous. However, thunderstorms are most likely across southeast NM where the remnants of Polo will arrive late today and overnight. Thunderstorms in this area will be capable of extremely heavy rainfall as well as strong and gusty winds. A brief tornado or two cannot be ruled out as well. The widespread shield of precipitation will begin to diminish from southeast to northeast early Wednesday, but precipitation will not diminish across north central and northeast NM until late Wednesday or Thursday. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1243 AM MDT Tue Sep 29 2026 No critical fire weather concerns are expected during the forecast period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 65 53 64 50 / 70 90 80 20 Dulce........................... 60 43 59 38 / 80 100 90 50 Cuba............................ 58 45 57 43 / 100 100 70 40 Gallup.......................... 58 43 59 41 / 100 90 70 20 El Morro........................ 56 40 55 38 / 100 100 80 30 Grants.......................... 59 44 59 43 / 100 100 70 20 Quemado......................... 59 43 56 44 / 100 90 70 60 Magdalena....................... 60 46 59 47 / 100 100 60 10 Datil........................... 57 42 55 44 / 100 90 60 30 Reserve......................... 64 45 63 46 / 100 90 70 30 Glenwood........................ 70 49 68 48 / 100 90 80 20 Chama........................... 55 43 53 40 / 90 100 90 70 Los Alamos...................... 57 48 57 46 / 100 100 80 60 Pecos........................... 61 47 60 43 / 100 100 80 40 Cerro/Questa.................... 59 46 57 42 / 100 100 90 90 Red River....................... 52 40 49 35 / 100 100 90 90 Angel Fire...................... 56 35 54 31 / 100 100 90 80 Taos............................ 61 45 60 41 / 100 100 90 80 Mora............................ 60 48 60 43 / 100 100 80 70 Espanola........................ 65 51 65 47 / 100 100 80 60 Santa Fe........................ 60 49 59 46 / 100 100 80 50 Santa Fe Airport................ 61 50 61 45 / 100 100 80 50 Albuquerque Foothills........... 65 52 64 50 / 100 100 70 30 Albuquerque Heights............. 64 52 64 50 / 100 100 70 20 Albuquerque Valley.............. 66 53 66 49 / 100 100 70 20 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 64 54 64 51 / 100 100 70 20 Belen........................... 66 52 66 49 / 100 100 70 20 Bernalillo...................... 65 53 66 50 / 100 100 70 20 Bosque Farms.................... 66 52 66 47 / 100 100 70 20 Corrales........................ 66 53 66 50 / 100 100 70 20 Los Lunas....................... 66 52 66 49 / 100 100 70 20 Placitas........................ 62 52 62 49 / 100 100 70 30 Rio Rancho...................... 64 53 65 50 / 100 100 70 20 Socorro......................... 69 53 69 52 / 100 100 60 10 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 59 48 58 44 / 100 100 70 40 Tijeras......................... 60 49 59 46 / 100 100 70 40 Edgewood........................ 61 49 61 44 / 100 100 60 30 Moriarty/Estancia............... 63 48 63 42 / 100 100 60 20 Clines Corners.................. 61 49 60 43 / 100 100 50 30 Mountainair..................... 61 47 61 42 / 100 100 70 20 Gran Quivira.................... 61 49 60 44 / 100 100 60 20 Carrizozo....................... 68 54 64 50 / 100 100 50 30 Ruidoso......................... 64 48 61 45 / 100 100 50 30 Capulin......................... 64 49 60 43 / 90 100 80 90 Raton........................... 67 50 63 45 / 90 100 80 80 Springer........................ 67 51 65 48 / 90 100 80 70 Las Vegas....................... 61 50 61 45 / 100 100 70 40 Clayton......................... 69 58 70 51 / 100 100 70 60 Roy............................. 67 54 66 49 / 100 100 70 50 Conchas......................... 75 60 74 55 / 90 100 50 30 Santa Rosa...................... 70 57 69 53 / 100 100 40 20 Tucumcari....................... 75 61 76 54 / 100 100 40 30 Clovis.......................... 73 62 76 54 / 100 100 20 5 Portales........................ 74 63 77 55 / 100 100 20 5 Fort Sumner..................... 73 60 75 55 / 100 100 40 10 Roswell......................... 78 61 77 55 / 90 100 10 0 Picacho......................... 70 55 72 52 / 100 100 10 0 Elk............................. 71 52 70 48 / 100 100 10 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through late tonight for NMZ201>241. && $$ SHORT TERM...71 LONG TERM....71 AVIATION...34