Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
Issued by NWS Albuquerque, NM
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979 FXUS65 KABQ 262343 AAA AFDABQ Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 443 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 441 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 - A backdoor front on Saturday will drop lows into the teens and 20s overnight. - Those with travel plans after Thanksgiving, mainly from late Sunday through Monday evening, should stay updated with the latest weather forecasts and statements. Be prepared to alter travel routes or plans, due to potential for a storm system to bring winter travel impacts across the Desert Southwest, including New Mexico. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Thursday night) Issued at 1227 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 Lee side surface troughing will develop over the northeast highlands this afternoon, resulting in some brisk west to southwest winds with gusts up to 35 mph along the I-40 corridor in east-central New Mexico. Wind speeds will then become more light and variable throughout the region as pressure gradients weaken. Temperatures for today will be about average for this time of year, with highs in the upper 50s. Low temperatures tonight will be a little bit warmer than yesterday, but still near normal for late November. Thankfully, Thanksgiving day looks to be a gorgeous autumn day across the Land of Enchantment. Pressure heights rise slightly as brief upper level ridging slides across the Desert Southwest on Thursday. This will lead to some slightly warmer temperatures across the region, with highs climbing up to the low 60s for valley areas in the lower half of the state and for parts of southeastern New Mexico. The one thing that may limit temperatures from climbing even higher will be the steady stream of high clouds over the area. Cloud cover will increase throughout the afternoon and into the evening, which will also serve to keep temperatures a little bit warmer overnight. && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Tuesday) Issued at 1227 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 Pressure heights begin to flatten on Friday and zonal flow returns as a shortwave trough begins to dig south into the central Rockies. This disturbance will introduce some breezier winds for areas along and east of the central mountain chain. Some 35 kt 700 mb winds should be able to mix down to the surface during the afternoon, creating stronger gusts over east-central New Mexico. Downsloping winds will also help warm up the environment and raise highs into the mid 60s across the eastern plains, 5 to 10 degrees above average for this time of year. The main trough axis swings through the region overnight, so the strongest 700 mb winds of 40 to 50 kts will most likely not be able to mix down to surface over the central highlands, but it will still be quite windy over the mountain tops. Westerly winds diminish as the trough kicks out east on Saturday, but a potent backdoor cold front then begins to fill in throughout eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and usher in some 20 to 25 mph northeast winds. The front will reach the central mountain chain overnight and introduce an easterly gap wind for the Rio Grande valley. Many New Mexicans in the eastern plains will wake up to some of the coldest temperatures so far this season on Sunday. Cold air advection will drop lows into the low twenties and upper teens, particularly along the northeast corner of the state. High temperatures on Sunday will be between 5 to 18 degrees below average for areas east of the central mountain chain. Some northeast locations such as Clayton may hover at near freezing temperatures for most of the day. Meanwhile, western and central parts of the state will be near average for late November. The next thing to look out for is the evolution of a winter system that will pass through the intermountain west on Monday. Due to recent trends in guidance, there is now better confidence in a more progressive and quicker moving storm system. The AI-GFS was the first to catch on, and now all the other deterministic global models and most of the long range ensembles are showing a positively tilted trough with a more northerly track. This solution would mean that the majority of the snowfall will be confined to the northern mountains, with less precipitation overall for the region. However, it will still be quite cold. Temperatures look to be 5 to 15 degrees below average throughout the region on Monday and Tuesday. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 441 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 VFR conditions are forecast for the next 24 hours. High clouds will decrease late tonight and early Thursday, only to return from the southwest Thursday afternoon. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1227 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 Minimal fire weather concerns are expected through the period. While there will be some breezy and drier conditions this weekend, with ERCs below the 50th percentile, fire risk is low. However, these breezier conditions will contribute to some better ventilation rates along the eastern plains on Friday and Saturday. A storm system early next week looks to bring some colder temperatures areawide and precipitation for mainly the northern half of the state. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 27 54 29 56 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 17 56 20 56 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 24 54 26 55 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 22 57 23 57 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 29 58 31 55 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 22 59 26 61 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 27 63 30 59 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 33 56 35 60 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 29 57 31 58 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 26 66 29 65 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 29 69 32 69 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 20 52 23 50 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 31 52 33 53 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 28 54 30 55 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 27 52 28 51 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 22 46 24 44 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 15 51 17 49 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 19 54 23 54 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 27 54 28 57 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 24 58 26 58 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 31 54 34 53 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 27 55 29 55 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 37 58 39 58 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 31 59 34 61 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 29 60 31 63 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 32 58 34 60 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 24 59 27 63 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 30 60 33 61 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 24 60 27 62 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 30 60 32 61 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 27 59 29 62 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 34 56 36 56 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 31 59 34 61 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 32 62 34 66 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 30 54 33 54 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 31 55 34 55 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 26 56 29 57 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 21 57 23 59 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 27 52 30 55 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 27 57 32 58 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 27 58 32 58 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 34 62 38 61 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 34 58 36 58 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 24 49 26 57 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 22 52 24 60 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 22 54 23 62 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 27 52 29 58 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 29 54 31 60 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 26 52 28 60 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 27 57 30 66 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 29 56 31 64 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 27 59 34 64 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 30 60 35 61 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 28 60 35 62 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 27 60 31 61 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 31 62 36 64 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 34 62 34 66 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 32 63 32 68 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...25 LONG TERM....25 AVIATION...44