ALAMOGORDO, N.M. – An urgent Freeze Warning is in effect from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. MDT Thursday for the Tularosa Basin, Upper Gila River Valley, Northern Doña Ana County, and Eastern Hudspeth County, as temperatures are expected to dip between 28 and 32 degrees overnight. The National Weather Service in El Paso/Santa Teresa warns that the season’s first widespread freeze could damage unprotected plumbing, kill crops, and harm sensitive vegetation across southern New Mexico.
According to the National Weather Service, cold, dry desert air will settle into the valleys late tonight under clear skies and light winds. Rural and low-lying areas, including Hatch, Alamogordo, Tularosa, and the White Sands area, will experience the coldest readings by dawn. Even sheltered zones outside the main warning area may briefly drop below freezing early Thursday morning.
Residents are urged to wrap or drain outdoor pipes, cover or bring in tender plants, and allow faucets to drip slowly overnight to avoid costly freeze damage. Pets should be brought indoors or provided with warm shelter. Homeowners with irrigation systems should drain and protect exposed valves before midnight.
According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, drivers should prepare for frosty bridges and slick rural routes along U.S. 70, U.S. 54, and NM-26 around Alamogordo and White Sands. Motorists should allow extra travel time and clear frost from windshields before the morning commute.
Temperatures will rise quickly after sunrise Thursday, bringing sunny, dry conditions through the weekend. Another weak front early next week could bring renewed frost potential to the lower valleys.
