The month of March saw abysmally dry conditions alongside record heat stretch across much of the Desert Southwest, including New Mexico. Albuquerque in particular saw a record high average monthly temperature, roughly 6 degrees warmer than any other month on record.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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.
The month of March saw abysmally dry conditions alongside record heat stretch across much of the Desert Southwest, including New Mexico. Albuquerque in particular saw a record high average monthly temperature, roughly 6 degrees warmer than any other month on record. The record warmth and record low snow pack limiting snow melt and lack of precipitation otherwise allowed for a degradation of drought conditions across the state. Severe drought (D2) was introduced back to a significant segment of northeastern NM, and spreading further across northwestern and west-central NM. Extreme drought (D3) also spread across a portion of the Northwest Plateau and highlands area.
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 Feb 28, 10:15 PM MST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1015 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1010 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 - Record high temperatures are forecast for many locations daily through Monday, with the warmth peaking on Sunday. - Periodic Elevated to Critical fire weather conditions take shape from Sunday onward. - A more active pattern takes shape for the middle of next week onward, with breezy to windy conditions and at least some chances for rain and mountain snow. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Monday) Issued at 108 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 Unseasonably warm temps more typical of mid-May will take shape Sunday and Monday. A 590dm H5 high over the Baja today will drift east into northern MX thru Monday while a 556dm H5 low moves into northern CA and across the Great Basin. Daily airmass mixing is progged to rise between the 75th and 90th percentile for early March. This will assist well above normal temps with breezy to locally windy conditions across the region. The NBM 5.0 is now showing a near 70% probability of reaching 80F at KABQ Sunday and near 60% Monday. Roswell has a 30% chance of reaching 90F on Sunday and near 40% Monday. Periods of high cloud cover may be the limiting factor during this period. Near-record to record high temps over the region will be accompanied by west-southwest wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph Sunday and 25 to 35 mph Monday. These winds with low humidity will increase the risk for fire spread, especially over eastern NM. && .LONG TERM... (Monday night through Friday) Issued at 108 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 Ridge top winds will increase Monday night as the upper level low crosses into UT. There is still some uncertainty with the track of the low into Tuesday. However, the overall result will remain very dry and breezy to windy conditions over NM (just how dry and windy remain the question). Temps will trend cooler over northwest NM with the approaching Pacific cold front while remaining very warm over eastern NM. Winds peak areawide Tuesday afternoon with gusts of 30 to 40 mph expected, especially in the high terrain and northeast NM. A northwest wind shift in the wake of the Pacific front will usher in much cooler temps Tuesday night, but these readings are still 5 to 10F above normal. A brief cooldown Wednesday with lighter winds will give way to yet another trough passage north of NM Thursday. Warmer temps and more wind will occur with very low humidity once again. A backdoor cold front in the wake of this system may return eastern NM closer to normal for Thursday night after a brief period of breezy northerly winds. The next upper wave is on target to approach Friday with another round of wind for NM. This wave may be signaling the arrival of a pattern change across the western U.S. but confidence is still low. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1010 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 VFR conditions prevail and are forecast to persist through the TAF period, with periods of VFR cigs in the form of high clouds. Breezy westerly winds will pick up again on Sunday afternoon, with frequent gusts to between 21-26kts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 108 PM MST Sat Feb 28 2026 Another prolonged period of elevated to critical fire weather will take shape next week across parts of NM. A more progressive weather pattern will deliver near-record to record warm temps, strong west to northwest winds, minimum humidity values in the 7 to 12% range, and unseasonably deep atmospheric mixing. Overnight recoveries will be fair to good most nights except for a brief surge of low level moisture over eastern NM Sunday night and Monday morning (excellent recoveries and even some low clouds or fog). The main areas to watch next week are Las Vegas to Raton and Gallup to Grants Monday, then a larger of eastern NM Tuesday and Thursday. Fine fuels also remain susceptible to fire growth as evidenced by small wildfires spreading over eastern NM on days without critical fire weather conditions. A Fire Weather Watch may be needed for Monday but we will continue to monitor wind trends for now. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 35 71 37 72 / 0 0 0 0 Dulce........................... 26 66 29 67 / 0 0 0 0 Cuba............................ 34 68 38 69 / 0 0 0 0 Gallup.......................... 28 73 30 72 / 0 0 0 0 El Morro........................ 36 70 35 71 / 0 0 0 0 Grants.......................... 31 74 32 74 / 0 0 0 0 Quemado......................... 37 73 36 74 / 0 0 0 0 Magdalena....................... 44 76 44 76 / 0 0 0 0 Datil........................... 39 73 38 71 / 0 0 0 0 Reserve......................... 33 79 35 75 / 0 0 0 0 Glenwood........................ 37 82 40 79 / 0 0 0 0 Chama........................... 29 60 31 61 / 0 0 0 0 Los Alamos...................... 42 69 42 69 / 0 0 0 0 Pecos........................... 36 69 38 70 / 0 0 0 0 Cerro/Questa.................... 36 64 38 64 / 0 0 0 0 Red River....................... 30 55 34 55 / 0 0 0 0 Angel Fire...................... 25 61 28 62 / 0 0 0 0 Taos............................ 29 68 33 69 / 0 0 0 0 Mora............................ 35 68 37 69 / 0 0 0 0 Espanola........................ 36 75 37 76 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe........................ 42 70 42 71 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Fe Airport................ 39 73 39 73 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Foothills........... 47 75 49 76 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Heights............. 43 78 45 79 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque Valley.............. 40 80 42 81 / 0 0 0 0 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 42 78 44 78 / 0 0 0 0 Belen........................... 36 81 40 82 / 0 0 0 0 Bernalillo...................... 42 78 44 79 / 0 0 0 0 Bosque Farms.................... 36 81 39 81 / 0 0 0 0 Corrales........................ 40 79 43 79 / 0 0 0 0 Los Lunas....................... 37 81 39 81 / 0 0 0 0 Placitas........................ 45 74 46 75 / 0 0 0 0 Rio Rancho...................... 42 78 45 78 / 0 0 0 0 Socorro......................... 43 84 46 84 / 0 0 0 0 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 44 70 44 71 / 0 0 0 0 Tijeras......................... 43 72 44 73 / 0 0 0 0 Edgewood........................ 40 73 42 74 / 0 0 0 0 Moriarty/Estancia............... 33 75 33 75 / 0 0 0 0 Clines Corners.................. 38 71 39 71 / 0 0 0 0 Mountainair..................... 43 74 44 74 / 0 0 0 0 Gran Quivira.................... 41 75 43 75 / 0 0 0 0 Carrizozo....................... 47 78 48 77 / 0 0 0 0 Ruidoso......................... 45 72 47 72 / 0 0 0 0 Capulin......................... 32 68 33 70 / 0 0 0 0 Raton........................... 30 72 31 74 / 0 0 0 0 Springer........................ 30 75 32 76 / 0 0 0 0 Las Vegas....................... 36 72 37 72 / 0 0 0 0 Clayton......................... 38 69 34 74 / 0 0 0 0 Roy............................. 37 73 36 75 / 0 0 0 0 Conchas......................... 35 81 37 82 / 0 0 0 0 Santa Rosa...................... 39 81 38 81 / 0 0 0 0 Tucumcari....................... 38 80 37 81 / 0 0 0 0 Clovis.......................... 41 82 41 80 / 0 0 0 0 Portales........................ 39 83 39 81 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Sumner..................... 39 84 39 82 / 0 0 0 0 Roswell......................... 45 89 46 85 / 0 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 45 83 46 83 / 0 0 0 0 Elk............................. 42 81 45 81 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Fire Weather Watch from Monday morning through Monday evening for NMZ105-123. && SHORT TERM...42 LONG TERM....42 AVIATION...11
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme drought spread across the entire southern half of the zone.
Extreme drought was introduced to the eastern half 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.
Severe drought was introduced to the western third of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to the northern half of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to all of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to the southeastern portion of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to northern two-thirds of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to southern third of the zone.
Severe drought was introduced to northwestern 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, March 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: 1316984, 1316985, 1316986, 1316987, 1316988, 1316989, 1316990, 1316991, 1316992, 1316993, 1316994.