High winds return later this week
Picture-perfect spring weather moved into New Mexico today with warmer temperatures and calm winds. Winds pick up ahead of a storm system on Friday.
You almost could not ask for a more perfect spring day of weather across New Mexico Wednesday. High temperatures warmed back up to around average this afternoon, with very little to no wind. Skies remain clear tonight with overnight low temperatures that will be warmer tomorrow morning than the last few mornings. Skies will remain sunny to mostly sunny Thursday afternoon with even warmer temperatures. Winds will again remain light, but will be slightly breezier, with some wind gusts up to 30 mph.
Our weather starts getting more active again on Friday as a storm system moves towards the state. The storm will crank up the winds Friday afternoon with wind gusts up to 55 mph in the western half of the state. Temperatures will again be warm, bringing a high fire danger across parts of the state. Isolated rain and mountain snow showers will move into mainly northwestern parts of New Mexico Friday afternoon as a cold front begins to sweep through the state. The front will move from west to east overnight Friday through Saturday morning, bringing isolated rain and mountain snow chances to parts of western and northern New Mexico, but this moisture will wrap up by Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, even stronger winds will develop Saturday afternoon with widespread wind gusts up to 50 mph with some areas seeing 60 mph wind gusts and even up to 70 mph over the Sacramento Mountains. Once again, there will be a high fire danger across the state with the high winds and low humidity. High temperatures will drop significantly from Friday to Saturday, with highs over 20° colder for much of the state.
Winds will stay gusty Saturday night with lighter winds in store by Sunday afternoon. The highest wind gusts on Sunday will be along and east of the central mountain chain. Temperatures will start a quick warming trend though on Sunday afternoon. This warming trend will continue into Monday before another storm moves in on Tuesday. This storm will again bring a drop in temperatures, along with chances for rain and snow to central, northern and northeastern New Mexico.
