Albuquerque, NM – New Mexico is experiencing a dramatic weather swing heading into the weekend, with record-challenging warmth today before light mountain snow and a wetter pattern return by Sunday and early next week.
According to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, temperatures in eastern New Mexico are running 15 to 20 degrees above average Friday, putting several cities near record territory. Roswell is forecast to reach 82°F, just shy of its 1988 record of 84°F. Clovis, Portales, Tucumcari, and Fort Sumner are all projected to top out near 80–81°F, while Raton is expected to tie its record of 73°F set in 2017.
A major pattern change arrives Sunday into Monday as moisture increases across central and northern New Mexico. According to the NWS, there is around a 70% chance of above-normal precipitation next Tuesday through Saturday, with Albuquerque, Gallup, Roswell, Santa Fe, and Farmington all favored for wetter-than-average conditions.
Light mountain snow is likely from Sunday morning through Monday morning, mainly above 9,000 feet, with snow briefly dipping as low as 8,000 feet early Monday. The highest peaks of the Tusas Mountains may receive up to six inches, though the NWS notes only a 10% probability of that higher-end amount. Lower elevations across western and northern New Mexico can expect spotty light rain showers, generally producing less than 0.1 inch of accumulation.
Temperatures will also shift next week, with slightly below-average conditions expected for western New Mexico and slightly above-average temperatures favored in the east.
Residents are encouraged to monitor updated forecasts as the sharp transition from record warmth to colder, unsettled weather could impact travel in higher elevations late Sunday into Monday.
