Above normal warmth statewide and well below normal precipitation over the eastern half of the state resulted in a one level degradation of drought conditions to Moderate Drought conditions over much of the eastern plains of New Mexico. Drought conditions over the western half of the state remained persistent from January.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
Above normal warmth statewide and well below normal precipitation over the eastern half of the state resulted in a one level degradation of drought conditions to Moderate Drought conditions over much of the eastern plains of New Mexico. Drought conditions over the western half of the state remained persistent from January.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Albuquerque, NM wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 10:06 PM MST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1006 PM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1001 PM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 - Patchy areas of freezing fog and low visibility will return tonight across the Lower Pecos River Valley around Roswell. - Near to above normal temperatures will prevail across the region through the next 7 days, except slightly cooler temperatures across eastern New Mexico on Wednesday. - Flurries may develop across northeast and east central New Mexico Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, otherwise, dry conditions will continue. && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Sunday) Issued at 1140 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 Low clouds continue to plague eastern NM early this afternoon, though visibilities have been improving. There is some concern that the low clouds will not erode completely across southeast areas, which would keep high temps quite cool today. Even if clouds do erode completely, there is a good chance that they will return overnight into Sunday morning across the lower Pecos River Valley, from Fort Sumner to Roswell. Patchy freezing fog will also be possible. Fortunately, the low clouds and freezing fog will not be as widespread as this morning, and it should erode much faster on Sunday morning. Between this and the upper level ridge moving overhead, temperatures should warm back above normal for all areas, except Roswell. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday night through next Friday) Issued at 1140 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 The upper level ridge will shift eastward on Sunday night. A weak wave will cross NM on Monday, bringing increased high cloudiness across the area. Temperatures will alter little across western NM, but will rise a few degrees across the east due to downsloping winds. The surface low is expected to deepen near KLVS, thus the strongest westerly winds are expected near the I-40 corridor or just south. At H7, wind speeds increase to near 35kt over the Central Highlands and portions of south central NM. Though mixing heights won't be particularly high, some of this momentum should transfer down to the surface and gusts near 30 or 35 mph around KCQC, with lesser wind gusts elsewhere across eastern NM. As the wave exits the state and the surface low slides southeastward, a backdoor front will slide down the plains Monday night. The front will be weak overall, only dropping Tuesday's high temperatures on the order of 6 to 10 degrees. Otherwise, quiet weather conditions are expected Tuesday despite another weak perturbation in northwest flow crossing the area. Another shortwave will clip northeast NM Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The combination of another backdoor front and the nose of an upper level jet pushing over the area may be enough lift for a few flurries to develop across northeast and northeast NM, but heavier precipitation seems unlikely at this time given the modest moisture. Meanwhile, a Rex blocking pattern will prevail over the west coast for Wednesday. The upper level high portion of the rex block will slide eastward on Thursday resulting in a highly amplified ridge over the Rockies. Then, the low portion of the rex block should get kicked eastward on Friday by an upstream system, but so far, it looks like just more clouds for NM for Friday. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1001 PM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 Low stratus clouds and mist (BR) were brought into the east central and southeastern plains of New Mexico this morning by a cold front. Look for IFR conditions (ceilings between 500 and 1000 ft) to persist for much of the overnight, especially from KCVN to KROW. Localized areas of lower ceilings will also be possible (200-400ft) in this corridor before clearing skies return Sunday afternoon. Remaining areas of northern and central New Mexico will stay VFR with just a few high, fair weather cirrus clouds. Moderate breezes of 10-20kt will develop Sunday afternoon, particularly in the eastern plains. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1140 AM MST Sat Jan 31 2026 Critical fire weather conditions are not expected for the next seven days. One of the main concerns continue to be dry conditions (no significant precipitation over the next week and RH falling below 20% across northeast and east central NM most days over the next week). Winds will be strongest on Monday. The highest speeds will favor the Central Highlands and east central NM in the afternoon with westerly gusts near 25 to 35 mph, before a front pushes through that evening with a few light northerly wind gusts as well. Another concern continues to be periods of poor ventilation. Ventilation rates should be highest on Monday due to the increase in winds, but poor ventilation will prevail elsewhere outside of an hour or two at varying locations. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 22 54 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 16 55 21 55 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 21 55 25 55 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 14 59 20 60 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 23 58 23 56 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 15 59 21 61 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 22 60 25 58 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 29 57 32 60 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 26 57 27 57 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 24 64 26 64 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 26 67 30 67 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 18 49 22 49 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 29 52 32 54 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 26 56 28 57 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 22 49 26 50 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 14 43 16 46 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 6 48 6 49 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 15 52 20 54 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 23 59 28 58 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 21 58 25 61 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 27 54 30 56 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 24 55 27 58 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 32 57 35 59 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 30 58 34 61 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 26 60 28 63 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 28 59 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 21 59 26 62 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 28 59 31 63 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 21 59 25 62 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 28 60 30 63 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 22 59 25 62 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 30 56 34 58 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 28 58 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 27 60 32 65 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 29 54 31 55 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 30 53 32 55 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 25 55 28 56 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 17 59 20 60 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 25 54 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 25 56 29 58 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 26 57 29 58 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 29 57 32 59 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 30 55 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 21 56 25 57 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 19 59 23 61 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 19 62 21 65 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 23 60 27 63 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 27 62 34 64 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 24 59 27 65 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 22 66 26 68 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 23 64 33 67 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 21 66 28 70 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 24 62 31 67 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 22 63 29 68 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 19 61 25 69 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 22 53 26 61 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 29 63 33 69 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 28 61 30 66 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...34 LONG TERM....34 AVIATION...52
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme drought remained persistent over the east-central portion of the zone.
Extreme drought remained persistent over the far northwestern portion of the zone.
Extreme drought remained persistent over the northwest and north central portion of the zone.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1309569, 1309570, 1309571.