An active weather pattern returns Wednesday as the first in a series of storms will impact New Mexico. Widespread chances for rain and snow will moisture to much of the state.

Tuesday is the calm before the storm as temperatures felt a lot more like spring again today with more sunshine. Our next storm arrives Wednesday as rain and snow begins to push in from the west by the afternoon. Westerly winds will bring an elevated fire danger to the eastern plains. More rain and mountain snow will move in from the west Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Heavy, wet snow will fall in the northern mountains and southern Colorado where Winter Storm Watches and Winter Storm Warnings will go into effect.

On Thursday, a backdoor cold front will push south across eastern New Mexico. This front will increase rain chances along it as it pushes south through the day. It will also create moderate to heavy snow around the Raton Pass and the east slopes of the central mountain chain all the way down to the Sacramento Mountains through Friday morning. The front will also bring colder temperatures and a canyon wind to the Albuquerque metro and Rio Grande Valley late Thursday night. Rain and snow will taper off by Friday afternoon.

Another storm system arrives late Friday. Widespread rain and snow look likely with this weekends storm before it tapers off by Sunday afternoon. We will get another break Monday before another storm system arrives Tuesday into Wednesday.