New Mexico Weather Update: Haze and Monsoon Storms
New Mexico will experience limited monsoon activity through Thursday afternoon due to drier air. However, any storms that do form could still produce locally heavy rainfall, particularly in mountainous regions.
Tuesday brought quieter and warmer conditions to the state. Monsoon activity was minimal, with isolated storms mainly affecting the northern, western, and central mountains, as well as the Sacramento Mountains. Fortunately, there were no reports of flash flooding, and any storms will dissipate by sunset tonight.
The haze visible across New Mexico today is due to wildfires in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. This haze, driven by high pressure to the west, is expected to persist through the end of the week and possibly into the weekend.
Looking ahead, showers and storms are anticipated to develop on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, primarily in the high elevations and mountains of southwestern, central, and northern New Mexico, including the Sacramento Mountains. Despite this, the risk of burn scar flash flooding remains low. Temperatures will continue to rise, with dry conditions expected for the eastern half of the state.
Rain chances will increase for the Rio Grande Valley and more regions of western, northern, and central New Mexico on Friday afternoon as additional monsoon moisture moves in. By Saturday, these rain chances will extend into northeast New Mexico, while northwestern and west-central areas are expected to dry out. A return to drier conditions across most of New Mexico is forecasted for Sunday, as high pressure builds, leading to hotter and drier weather that is likely to persist into the middle of next week.
