NEW MEXICO — The December chill is back across central New Mexico this morning, with clear skies, calm air, and temperatures dipping into the 20s around Albuquerque. But the quiet stretch won’t last long. Meteorologists are tracking a developing midweek system that could bring rain changing to snow late Wednesday into early Thursday.
According to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, the next 36 hours will bring a quick pattern change. After a sunny and mild day near 53°F, clouds will thicken Wednesday afternoon, dropping temperatures toward 29°F by late evening. A 50% chance of precipitation is expected, beginning as light rain before a transition to snow—especially in higher terrain and northern foothill neighborhoods.
While accumulation is expected to remain light, forecasters warn that slick roads and bridges could develop before sunrise Thursday, particularly on I-40 east toward Tijeras Canyon and along I-25 through the northern suburbs. Any mix that sticks may briefly freeze as colder air settles across the Rio Grande Valley.
By Thursday morning, skies will clear again as drier air moves in, keeping highs near 47°F under mostly sunny skies. The coldest air arrives Thursday night, when lows fall into the upper teens under calm, frosty conditions.
Five-Day Albuquerque Outlook:
- Tuesday: Sunny, high 53°F, low 27°F.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, high 63°F, rain/snow mix late, low 29°F.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, high 47°F, low 19°F.
- Friday: Sunny, high 49°F, low 24°F.
- Saturday: Sunny, high 55°F.
