Drought in New Mexico, November 1 to 30, 1999

Unusually warm and dry weather dominated throughout the month across all of northern and central New Mexico. Albuquerque recorded its fourth warmest November since 1892 with an average temperature of 50.0 degrees or nearly 6 degrees above normal. The city also set a new record of 15 consecutive days with the high temperature above 65 degrees. The low temperature at the Albuquerque International Airport fell below 32 degrees only 3 nights during the month well under the average of 15 days for a typical November. Cities in the north including Santa Fe were noted for setting new daily high temperature records. Only a small number of stations reported any measurable precipitation during the month. Dryness raised the fall fire danger in the national forests, threatened fall wheat crops and grazing, and also cancelled the usual opening of ski resorts for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Resorts had neither a natural early snow base or the chance to use snow making equipment as overnight temperatures remained too warm even in the high elevations.