Chilly with drier, dusty, gusty conditions
Nov 18, 2024
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Rain and wet high-elevation snow from areas in-between The Organ Mountains to the far-Northeast Highlands has exited as with the latest low pressure system that's spinning east of The East Plains, it's still a little bit damp with breezy northwesterly winds in southeastern areas, while conditions are clearer, a little bit colder, and now windier elsewhere.
Along with the precipitation that did fall earlier in eastern areas with temperatures mostly starting the 30s and 40s, out to the west, temperatures were as low as the 20s, teens, as well as even near the high singles around Gallup.
As the storm system continues to exit to the northeast, despite a few wispy high-level clouds, it'll be even clearer with temperatures rising a little bit more for most as southwesterly winds will pick up much more in the next couple of hours with gusts above 60 mph already for a few areas, drying out the atmosphere considerably with the even higher fire weather risk, especially in southwestern areas, with blowing dust and patchy blowing snow.
Temperatures will mostly eventually reach into the upper 30s, 40s, 50s, and lower 60s, near normal in the northern two-thirds of the region, but a little bit below normal in southern areas.
Colder and drier air will continue to filtrate in for the next couple of days, leading up into a quick-hitting storm system impacting a few northern areas tomorrow with gusty conditions again, but then, temperatures will rebound late this week with drier air as winds will eventually lessen.