High temperatures, storms ahead for much of state

Albuquerque forecast calls for 90s rest of week

Shorts and T-shirts are appropriate apparel this week, with temperatures ranging up to 93 and plenty of sunshine forecast in the Albuquerque area.

Eastern New Mexico could be in for some wetting thunderstorms this week, but storms in Albuquerque and western New Mexico “will be of the dry variety,” said Jennifer Palucki, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

A high of 91 is predicted for Albuquerque today — well above the average high of 86 in early June — with a 20 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms by tonight.

More of the same is expected through the week, with temperatures edging up to 92 by Thursday in Albuquerque.

“It’s going to be hot this week,” Palucki said Monday during the agency’s weekly weather briefing. “That’s certainly a pattern for accelerated snowmelt, so those rivers are running pretty high still.”

Sunday was the first day this year that temperatures hit 90 in Albuquerque. As a historical average, the city gets its first 90-plus day on May 27.

Eastern New Mexico is likely to get the wet thunderstorms this week, with gusts up to 60 mph in places.

“The main story for (today) is the strong to severe storms across the eastern plains,” with more of the same likely on Wednesday, Palucki said.

“The storms will ... probably produce some hail and strong winds as they roll off the upper terrain,” she said.

Hot and sunny days are typical for New Mexico in June, before the monsoon season kicks in, said Kerry Jones, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Monsoon season officially runs from June 15 to Sept. 30, but it often begins much later than mid-June, he said.

“From about mid-June through early July is historically our hottest time of year in Albuquerque,” Jones said.

“As we get deeper into the monsoon season, we get a buildup of clouds,” he said. “That cloud cover alone really knocks our daytime temperatures down, as compared to mid- to late-June.”