Windy week, cooler weekend for ABQ
New Mexico will have a quiet weather week, but forecasters are looking ahead to a system that could bring thunderstorms, rain and mountain snow this weekend.
Andy Church, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said a slow-moving air mass will result in cooler temperatures for eastern New Mexico and slightly warmer temperatures for the state’s western portion.
“We’re expecting close to carbon copy each day, with cooler conditions across the eastern portion of the state, higher humidities, then slight chances for showers and a couple of thunderstorms across the northern quarter of the state,” Church said.
On Tuesday, Albuquerque will be mostly sunny, with a high temperature of 68 degrees and a 10% chance of precipitation.
Wind gusts could reach up to 35 mph.
Very light snow is possible for mountain passes in northern New Mexico on Tuesday morning.
Albuquerque is expected to hit a high of 75 degrees and a low of 44 on Wednesday.
Church said rain showers are possible east of the Sangre de Cristo mountains on Wednesday.
The metro area will cool down this weekend and many parts of New Mexico could even see some rain.
Albuquerque is forecast to hit a high of 69 degrees on Friday.
Another backdoor front could bring strong winds to central New Mexico from Friday night into Saturday morning.
“The models are trending toward much wetter with this system, “Church said. “Saturday night looks like the best shot for (precipitation for) the Middle Rio Grande Valley westward.”
Albuquerque is forecast to have a 20% chance of precipitation on both Saturday and Sunday.
Metro area temperatures will reach the low 60s this weekend.