Low pressure building off the Baja Peninsula is drawing up significant moisture across New Mexico. This allowed widespread showers and storms to pop up across the state earlier today, with most of that activity dying down now that the sun has set. Overnight and into early Friday morning will see calmer and partly to mostly cloudy conditions.
More showers and storms will arrive Thursday afternoon, in similar fashion to Wednesday’s activity. Precipitation will form over higher elevations before pushing into surrounding lower valleys. Rainfall accumulation will be slightly lesser than Wednesday totals. Even more moisture and heavy rain will arrive Friday along with a backdoor cold front. This will bring breezy conditions to the Albuquerque metro early Friday with gusts 25-35 mph. The biggest impact from the backdoor front with be near record levels of moisture surging across the state.
This record moisture will push through the gaps in the Central Mountain Chain Friday morning, bringing widespread chances for heavy rainfall across New Mexico. The best potential for excessive rainfall leading to flash flooding will be across the north/northeastern parts of the state, mainly north of I-40. Burn scar flash flooding, especially over the HPCC burn scar, will be a big concern throughout Friday afternoon and evening.
The cold front will bring a big temperature drop to the eastern half of the state (10°-20° cooler), not nearly as apparent to the west (5°-10°). Below average temperatures will stick around into the early parts of the weekend. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms will continue this weekend as well, and potentially even into early next week. Remain weather aware, and keep an umbrella handy in case you get caught in one of the heavier downpours.
