Albuquerque rain chance rises Friday as high pressure clears skies
Morning lows sit in the 30s across most of the state, but sunshine returns by Thursday evening and drier weather persists through next week.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
Albuquerque residents face a 10% chance of rain on Friday evening, a slight increase from dry conditions earlier in the week. The shift follows the exit of a fast-moving storm system that moved east-southeast out of the Texas Panhandle into Oklahoma. Most precipitation from that system fell in the central Colorado Rockies, while higher elevations in the northern Sangre de Cristo and Tusas mountains received light snowfall, largely limited to a dusting.
By Thursday evening, high pressure will build over the central Colorado Rockies and move into New Mexico. This change brings abundant sunshine, seasonable temperatures, and light winds to most of the state. Eastern and southeastern New Mexico will experience breezier conditions, with winds reaching 10 to 20 mph in some areas as the departing storm and incoming high pressure tighten the pressure gradient.
Cooler air filtering in behind the front has lowered morning temperatures. Most locations in New Mexico report lows in the 30s, while a handful of communities remain in the 40s and a few hold in the 50s. Wind chill values are running 5 to 10 degrees colder than the actual air temperature, making the air feel sharper for commuters and outdoor workers.
Clouds will increase Thursday night ahead of a weak disturbance moving southeast across the Great Basin and Southwest on Friday. The system is expected to track into southeastern New Mexico on Saturday. Forecast models now show better agreement on the track and impacts, with rain chances increasing Friday afternoon across western New Mexico. These chances will expand into central New Mexico by Friday evening. The best precipitation chances will occur across southern New Mexico, beginning earlier Friday and continuing into Saturday.
Snow showers are possible at higher elevations in parts of western and north-central New Mexico. Any rainfall or snowfall is expected to remain light, though locally higher totals could occur beneath heavier or more organized showers. High pressure will build back into the region behind the disturbance, bringing pleasant conditions for the second half of the weekend. This quiet weather pattern is expected to continue through at least the first half of next week.
