Drought in New Mexico, January 1 to 31, 2026

Name: Drought in New Mexico, January 1 to 31, 2026
Start: 2026-01-01T00:00
End: 2026-01-31T23:59
Location: New Mexico

January 1 to 31, 2026 · NWS EPZ · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

One category improvements were noted in drought severity in areas that had previously been in Extreme(D3) or even some Severe(D2) drought. By the end of the month, there were no areas in southern New Mexico in Extreme(D3) drought or worse.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS EPZ wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 10:44 PM MST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Updated at 906 PM MST Wed Dec 31 2025
Showers will begin reaching the ground in SW New Mexico as the calendar turns to 2026. A few very light showers may survive as they approach Las Cruces and El Paso early Thursday morning.
Breezy to windy conditions will greet the New Year, with gusts 30 to 40 mph Thursday and Friday afternoon.
Dry and warm weather is expected through early next week.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 10:44 PM MST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service El Paso TX/Santa Teresa NM
1044 PM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 906 PM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

 - Showers will begin reaching the ground in SW New Mexico as the
   calendar turns to 2026. A few very light showers may survive as
   they approach Las Cruces and El Paso early Thursday morning.

 - Breezy to windy conditions will greet the New Year, with gusts
   30 to 40 mph Thursday and Friday afternoon.

 - Dry and warm weather is expected through early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1030 PM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Widespread high and mid-level cloud cover has overspread the CWA
ahead of a shortwave trough set to top the upper level ridge
that's position along the upper half of the Rio Grande.

Precipitation (it's all rain with snow levels over 11,000 feet),
is attempting to push east of the Continental Divide, but despite
light radar echoes across most of Grant and Hidalgo Counties,
nothing appears to be reaching the ground, not too surprising
with 15-20 degree dewpoint depressions. Webcams west of Lordsburg
and in downtown Silver City all appear to be dry. Probably some
sprinkles above 6500 feet. In time, showers will start to reach
the ground, but most measurable precip will hold off until after
08-09Z as the shortwave trough/vort lobe approaches. HREF tries to
bring radar echoes as far as the Rio Grande and into the
Sacramento Mountains after dawn Thursday, but accumulated precip
is very spotty and generally around 0.01". That said, a scant
little sprinkle or rain shower may greet New Year's morning in El
Paso.

The shortwave trough will help induce lee cyclogenesis over the
Texas Panhandle tomorrow, with the tightening pressure gradient
bringing west winds 15 to 25 mph, and a few gusts 30 to 35 mph in
the afternoon as we dry out. Temperatures will climb into the
upper-60s to around 70 in the central lowlands, and a little
cooler in SW New Mexico.

A second shortwave trough will drop across northern New Mexico on
Friday, further boosting winds. WNW winds may gust closer to 40
mph on Friday afternoon.

Dry and warm conditions will last into early next week, with
lighter winds starting Saturday. The next system with precip
chances lurks at the end of the forecast period, Wednesday into
Thursday. Early projections show a classic Pacific cold front and
upper trough, which could bring precip chances and/or gusty winds.
Mountain snow can't be ruled out, but the trick with these systems
is usually the cold air moves in as the precip moves out. Plenty
of time for all this to change, however, but a promising sign of a
more active pattern.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1040 PM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Cloud decks are slowly lowering, but so far radar echoes have been
just virga in SW New Mexico. Precip will be more likely to reach
the ground after 08-09Z as a shortwave trough approaches and the
low levels have had some time to moisten up. Either way, light
showers and DMN and TCS are not expected to cause restrictions. A
few sprinkles or a brief shower could reach LRU and ELP closer to
dawn.

Breezy to windy WSW winds will develop Thursday afternoon, with a
few gusts near 30 knots possible at DMN and LRU after 20Z. Winds
should stay below AWW criteria at ELP, with sustained 14-16
knots, gusts up to 25 knots.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 1022 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Fire weather concerns will be low through the forecast period. For
this afternoon, winds will be light with some variability under
increasing clouds. Low rain chances move into western areas this
evening, diminishing along and east of the RGV overnight into Thu
AM. With snow levels above 9kft, precip will fall as nearly all
rain with little to no accumulation. Two upper disturbances bring
breezy west winds for Thu and Fri afternoons, shifting more NW for
Fri. 20-ft winds of 10-20 mph are forecast each day. Min RHs will
be comfortably above critical levels Thu and Fri, so elevated fire
weather conditions are not expected. Dry with light winds for the
weekend. Temperatures will be above normal through the period.

Min RHs range from 10-20% this afternoon, then 30-60% through Fri.
Vent rates will be mostly poor today then fair to very good
through Fri.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
El Paso                  48  70  47  68 /  20  40   0   0
Sierra Blanca            45  65  44  63 /  10  30   0   0
Las Cruces               44  65  40  65 /  30  30   0   0
Alamogordo               38  63  37  64 /  10  30  10   0
Cloudcroft               36  42  31  43 /  30  50  10   0
Truth or Consequences    44  66  41  66 /  30  40   0   0
Silver City              44  55  40  56 /  70  50  20  10
Deming                   46  68  41  66 /  40  50  10  10
Lordsburg                45  63  42  61 /  60  50  20  10
West El Paso Metro       49  68  47  67 /  20  40   0   0
Dell City                36  68  42  68 /  10  20   0   0
Fort Hancock             45  72  46  70 /  10  30   0   0
Loma Linda               45  61  43  61 /  10  30   0   0
Fabens                   45  70  45  68 /  20  40   0   0
Santa Teresa             45  67  45  65 /  20  40  10   0
White Sands HQ           48  68  46  67 /  20  40   0   0
Jornada Range            40  67  37  66 /  20  40   0   0
Hatch                    42  70  37  68 /  30  30   0   0
Columbus                 48  69  45  66 /  40  50  10  10
Orogrande                41  65  39  64 /  10  40   0   0
Mayhill                  42  57  36  58 /  20  30   0   0
Mescalero                36  54  32  55 /  30  40  10   0
Timberon                 35  52  32  55 /  20  30   0   0
Winston                  37  60  32  61 /  50  50   0   0
Hillsboro                45  65  39  65 /  40  40  10   0
Spaceport                39  67  33  65 /  30  30   0   0
Lake Roberts             40  55  35  56 /  50  50  20  20
Hurley                   43  60  39  59 /  50  60  10  10
Cliff                    42  61  38  63 /  70  50  20  20
Mule Creek               42  56  39  59 /  70  40  30  30
Faywood                  46  60  40  60 /  50  50  10  10
Animas                   47  65  42  63 /  60  40  20   0
Hachita                  45  65  42  63 /  50  60  10   0
Antelope Wells           47  66  40  66 /  60  40  20   0
Cloverdale               48  58  43  58 /  60  40  20  10

&&

.EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
NM...None.
&&

FORECASTER...25-Hardiman

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Upper Gila River Valley

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Upper Gila River Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.326, -108.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The month started with the western half of the zone in Extreme(D3) drought and the east in Severe(D2) drought. By the end of January, the entire zone was in Severe(D2) drought. The Cooperative Observer at Cliff reported 1.94 inches of precipitation which was 0.78 inches above normal.

Drought, Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought throughout the month of January.

Drought, Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.326, -108.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The western half of the zone started out January in Extreme(D3) drought while the east was in Severe(D2) drought. By the end of the month, most of the zone was in Severe(D2) drought except the far west where it was placed in Moderate(D1) drought. The Cooperative Observer in Redrock reported 1.69 inches of precipitation which was 0.70 inches above normal.

Drought, Lowlands of the Bootheel

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Lowlands of the Bootheel forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.326, -108.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone started the month in Severe(D2) drought with the far west improving to Moderate(D1) drought by the end of the month. The Antelope Wells Cooperative Observer reported 1.13 inches of precipitation which was 0.28 inches above normal.

Drought, Uplands of the Bootheel

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Uplands of the Bootheel forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 31.914, -108.715 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The month started out with the entire zone in Severe(D2) drought with the far west improving to Moderate(D1) drought by the end of the month.

Drought, Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought in January. The Deming Airport reported 2.17 inches of precipitation which was 1.70 inches above normal.

Drought, Eastern Black Range Foothills

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Eastern Black Range Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.684, -107.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Cooperative Observer in Hillsboro reported 0.47 inches of precipitation which was 0.17 inches below normal.

Drought, Sierra County Lakes

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Sierra County Lakes forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.131, -107.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The zone remained in Severe(D2) drought throughout the month of January. The Truth or Consequences Airport recorded 0.66 inches of precipitation which was 0.21 inches above normal.

Drought, Northern Dona Ana County

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Northern Dona Ana County forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D2) drought continued through the entire month of January.

Drought, Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D2) drought conditions continued through the month of January. The Cooperative Observer at New Mexico State University reported 1.70 inches of precipitation which was 1.22 inches above normal.

Drought, Otero Mesa

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Otero Mesa forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D2) drought continued over all but the far south where Moderate(D1) drought remained in place throughout the month of January.

Drought, Central Grant County/Silver City Area

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Central Grant County/Silver City Area forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.739, -108.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D2) drought remained in place through January. The Cooperative Observer in White Signal reported exactly 2 inches of precipitation which was 0.90 inches above normal.

Drought, Southern Gila Region Highlands/Black Range

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southern Gila Region Highlands/Black Range forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.935, -107.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The western half of the zone started the month in Extreme(D3) drought with the east in Severe(D2) drought. By the end of the month, the entire zone was in Severe(D2) drought.

Drought, West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.699, -106.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The western half of the zone remained in Severe(D2) drought while the east remained in Moderate(D1) drought.

Drought, East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D2) drought continued over the western half of the zone while the east remained in Moderate(D1) drought.

Drought, Southeast Tularosa Basin

When: January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southeast Tularosa Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was no change in drought conditions through the month of January. The western half of the zone remained in Severe(D2) drought and the east in Moderate(D1) drought.

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Mexico in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in New Mexico, January 2026

Sources

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: 1306091, 1306092, 1306093, 1306094, 1306097, 1306100, 1306103, 1306104, 1306105, 1306106, 1306107, 1306108, 1306109, 1306110, 1306111, 1306112.