Widespread rain around New Mexico in the short term

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Flood Watches are in effect for the Ruidoso areas and the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as widespread afternoon thunderstorms with plenty of cloud cover will dampen afternoon temperatures around normal. Along with plenty of clouds blanketing the northwestern two-thirds of the region, weakening showers are moving north-northeast from between Silver City to the Carson National Forest with most of the thunderstorm activity in Arizona. Meanwhile, conditions are clearer to the southeast, but with relatively humid air at the surface everywhere, stormy weather today will be the most widespread this week.

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Despite morning temperatures still above normal for many, it’s a little bit of a cooler start with most of the northern mountain communities starting off in the 40’s, 50’s, and lower 60’s, while valley locations are mostly ranging from the 50’s to the 70’s. As temperatures across the region rise from the morning school commute into the upper 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and near 100 degrees in a few southern areas by the afternoon, plenty of moisture in the air, along with enough daytime heating, will lead to the likelihood of widespread rainfall. The northern and western three-fourths of the region have the best chance of rain for today with flash flooding very likely in the northern burn-scars, as well as around Ruidoso in the early afternoon hours. Most of the San Juan Mountains, the Gila National Forest, and eventually a large swath of the Rio Grande Valley as well, will have the likelihood for some potent storms today that will generally pivot to the north slowly then faster to the northeast later on. By this afternoon, some pockets of torrential rain, accumulating hail, erratic winds more likely to gust from the eastern canyons eventually, and plenty of lightning strikes will ensue.

With a high pressure system just to the east of most of New Mexico in the short term, moisture will be trapped across the region, but drier air from the west will eventually win on out later this week with more sunshine and hotter air.

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