GOOD TIME TO GET A PET

Wintry weather possible in eastern New Mexico

Event from Friday through Sunday features a $10 adoption fee.

Time to get out the sweaters and jackets.

A cold front expected to arrive late today into Friday will bring lower temperatures to north and central New Mexico and an increased chance for wintry precipitation in the eastern part of the state, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service.

Light precipitation in the form of rain, snow, drizzle and freezing drizzle is possible across the eastern plains today into Friday. The combination of low visibility and icy roadways will create difficult travel conditions across eastern New Mexico tonight and Friday morning.

“The front will move through Albuquerque during the day and will be moving in from the northwest,” said Clay Anderson, a meteorologist with the Albuquerque office of the National Weather Service. “You’ll notice the cooler and drier conditions beginning late day (today). It will be noticeable because we’ll have a lot of winds to contend with during the late afternoon and early evening hours.”

He said winds in the Albuquerque area will increase between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. today.

After a high near 60 degrees today in the Albuquerque area, tempera-

tures will fall to around freezing tonight and rise only into the low 50s under sunny skies on Friday. Expect sunny skies and high temperatures in the mid-50s Friday and Saturday.

In addition, a very dry cold front will bring a sharp drop in temperatures to western New Mexico.

A long-duration hard freeze is likely for areas along and west of the Continental Divide, as well as across the northern mountains, where lows Friday morning will range from the single digits in the Moreno Valley to the teens elsewhere.

Residents and travelers throughout eastern New Mexico should remain alert to these weather conditions and be prepared for low to modest accumulations of wintry precipitation, especially during the night.

Another cold front is forecast to move into the eastern plains on Sunday, bringing cooler air and another chance for light precipitation.

Normal October

October produced temperatures close to normal statewide, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures were a little below average in the far west and east and above average in central areas.

Precipitation was near average in the west, above normal in the central part of the state and well above normal in the east. October in Albuquerque, Clayton and Roswell was among the 15 wettest on record.

The Albuquerque International Sunport received 1.99 inches of precipitation during the month, compared with an average of 1.02 inches, or 0.97 inches above average. This was the 14th-wettest October on record.

The average temperature for Albuquerque in October was 57 degrees, 0.5 degree below the normal of 57.5 degrees.

The average maximum temperature for the month was 66.8 degrees, 2.2 degrees below the normal average maximum temperature of 69.

The average minimum temperature for the month was 47.1 degrees, compared with the normal average minimum of 46.1 degrees.