Strong winds, colder temperatures on the way

A strong fall storm will bring in potentially damaging wind gusts Tuesday afternoon, along with a strong cold front. The coldest air so far this season arrives by Wednesday.

Record high temperatures are back across parts of New Mexico Monday afternoon, with temperatures climbing into the mid 80s in Albuquerque to the mid 90s in southeast New Mexico. Winds were breezy across New Mexico today as well, with gusts up to 40 mph in parts of the state. This is all ahead of a strong fall storm system that will be moving in Tuesday. Tonight, spotty showers will move into northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado, with the rain switching over to snow above 9,000′ in the San Juan Mountains. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the San Juans tonight, where up to 14″ of snow is possible through early Tuesday afternoon.

Winds will be picking up quickly Tuesday morning across New Mexico. By the afternoon, southwest winds could gust as high as 60 mph across the state, causing potential damage and areas of blowing dust. The strongest winds will be in western New Mexico, across the Sacramento Mountains, and east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are in effect across the state through Tuesday evening. Rain and mountain snow will wrap up in northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado Tuesday afternoon, while a few spotty showers and light mountain snow will be possible in northern New Mexico through Tuesday evening. A strong cold front will also be sweeping across New Mexico by the evening, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures statewide.

Wednesday will be much cooler across New Mexico, with high temperatures staying below normal for the end of October, finally making it feel more like fall. It will be a quieter day, but west winds will still be breezy, gusting up to 35 mph at times. Drier air will also be moving in. Many areas, including the Albuquerque Metro, will have a chance to see their first freeze of the season Wednesday night. A warming trend starts again Thursday and will continue through Saturday. Another storm system is possible this weekend, which could bring back rain and mountain snow chances along with cooler temperatures.

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