Very cold air will settle in Friday morning across parts of New Mexico. Quiet conditions will continue for the last few days of Balloon Fiesta.
Winds picked up again across New Mexico Thursday and were gusting over 50 mph in parts of the state. A cold front also moved through the state, bringing high temperatures as much as 20° cooler compared to Wednesday. Winds have died down tonight as colder temperatures are settling in.
Friday morning will likely be the coldest air most of us have seen this season, with Albuquerque dipping into the 30s for the first time since April. Areas in western and northern New Mexico will see their first freeze of the season where Freeze Warnings are in effect tonight. Winds will be light at the ground out at Balloon Fiesta Park though for the Special Shapes Rodeo and Mass Ascension Friday morning! Although temperatures will only be a few degrees above freezing. Calm winds will stick around into Friday afternoon with sunny skies and seasonably cool temperatures.
Winds will stay light for Saturday morning’s Mass Ascension when a box pattern may set up once again. Some high, cirrus clouds will pass across the state on Saturday morning during the Annular Solar Eclipse. These shouldn’t impact visibility too much for the eclipse. Temperatures will start a warming trend Saturday afternoon. Winds will remain light to calm through the rest of the weekend, with another green flag expected for the last Mass Ascension of this year’s Balloon Fiesta Sunday morning.
High pressure will build over New Mexico on Monday, bringing even warmer temperatures. Warmer than average temperatures will continue into the middle of next week with quiet conditions. A cold front will move through late Wednesday into Thursday, bringing cooler air again by the end of next week.
