Low-pressure building off the Baja Peninsula is drawing up significant moisture across New Mexico. This has allowed widespread showers and storms to pop up across the state this afternoon, with a lot of that activity dying down as the sun sets.

Overnight and into early Friday morning, we will see calm and partly to mostly cloudy conditions.

More showers and storms will arrive Thursday afternoon, in a 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’s 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 is from the backdoor front with near-record levels of moisture surging across the state.

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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.