Central New Mexico Weather: 9/29/20

Yesterday, Rio Rancho was sunny, mild and still.

This morning, Rio Rancho has been sunny, cool and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  As the trough exits the region, a high pressure ridge will build.  This will raise our temperatures and give us sunny, dry, still conditions for the next few days.  Another backdoor cold front will impact the eastern plains on Thursday.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 76 F. The winds will be from the north at 5 mph, becoming southerly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 48 F.  The winds will be from the south at 5 mph, becoming calm by midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 79 F. The winds will be from the south at 5-10 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 48 F.  The winds will be from the south at 5-10 mph, becoming westerly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 73 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph, becoming southeasterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 44 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph, becoming southeasterly by midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 71 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph.  This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 43 F. The winds will be from the south at 5-10 mph.

The visible satellite imagery shows very few clouds over the state today.  This image has been excluded from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a dry atmosphere.  There was 0.27 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1646 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 1.8 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 11 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 22 kts (due to a mix of speed and directional changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows cool temperatures and low humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under high pressure, with a weak pressure gradient running from northeast to southwest.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, northwesterly winds as the trough moves east from the Great Plains.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the mid 70s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the mid 50s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 20s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are unlikely today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today will be mild and dry.  It will be a good autumn day, and a pleasant drive for me from Rio Rancho to Socorro.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Weather Data: 9/21/20-9/27/20

Time for my 25th week of weather station data!  No lost data this week (thankfully).

The temperatures rose to a peak, with the high temperature on Friday afternoon of 93.4 F.  We had a low temperature of 52.2 F on Monday morning. The dewpoints dropped into the 20s F towards the end of the week.

There was no rain this week, so I have excluded the precipitation chart.

The wind chart shows light winds, with a diurnal component (in speed and direction).  The strongest winds and the strongest gust (25.1 mph) was on Monday afternoon.

The high pressure was 30.10 in Hg (~1019 mb) on Monday, and the lowest pressure was on Saturday and Sunday evenings, dropping down to 29.87 in Hg (~1012 mb). Pressure was generally on a falling trend throughout the week.

There was sunny weather all week. You can see the diurnal solar peaks, but notice they are not as high as they were this summer, due to the lower sun angles as we approach autumn.

Thank you for reading my post.

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/28/20

Yesterday, Rio Rancho was sunny, hot and breezy.

This morning, Rio Rancho has been sunny, cool and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  The backdoor cold front has slowed its push west.  Temperatures will be cooler today, and it may be breezy, though wind speeds will decrease throughout the day.  Otherwise, sunny, dry weather is expected.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 69 F. The winds will be from the east at 10-15 mph, decreasing to 5-10 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 42 F.  The winds will be from the southeast at 5 mph, becoming by midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 70 F. The winds will be from the southeast at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 44 F.  The winds will be from the southeast at 5-10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 65 F. The winds will be from the east at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 39 F. The winds will be from the east at 10-15 mph, becoming southwesterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 63 F. The winds will be from the east at 10-15 mph.  This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 39 F. The winds will be from the southeast at 5-10 mph, becoming southerly after midnight.

The visible satellite imagery shows a thin layer of clouds east of the central mountain chain that formed in response to the backdoor cold front.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a dry atmosphere.  There was 0.36 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1259 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 2.9 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 17 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 59 kts (due to a mix of speed and directional changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows cool temperatures and low humidity.  The skies are sunny over most of the state, with cloudy skies over the northeastern corner (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under high pressure, with a strong pressure gradient running from northeast to southwest.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows strong, northerly flow, particularly over the northeastern corner, as a trough digs into the Great Plains.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show moderate Cold Air Advection (CAA) in the form of a backdoor cold front that has washed up onto the central mountain chain.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the mid 60s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the mid 40s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 20s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are unlikely today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today will be mild and dry. I will make it a point to get outside some today, in spite of my schedule.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/27/20

Yesterday, Rio Rancho was sunny, hot and breezy.

This morning, Rio Rancho has been sunny, mild and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  The hot and dry conditions will continue today, though a backdoor cold front will push into the state this evening and overnight.  Ahead of the front, there will be stronger winds, but with no moisture, precipitation is limited to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  Temperatures will drop overnight and lead to fall-like weather tomorrow.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 86 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, increasing to 15-20 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 48 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 15-20 mph, decreasing to 10-15 mph by midnight.  There is a Red Flag Warning in place from 12 PM until 7 PM.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 92 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 50 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, becoming northeasterly after midnight. There is a Red Flag Warning in place from 12 PM until 7 PM.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 83 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 15-20 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 44 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-15 mph, becoming easterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 83 F. The winds will be from the west at 10-15 mph.  This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 43 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-20 mph, becoming easterly after midnight.  There is a Red Flag Warning in place from 12 PM until 7 PM.

The NWS in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning for a good chunk of the central and western parts of the state today.  The NWS Watches and Warnings graphic is shown below:

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state.  I have excluded this image from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a dry atmosphere.  There was 0.37 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 2546 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 4.7 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 24 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 34 kts (due to a mix of speed and directional changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and low humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under no strong pressure systems or gradients.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows moderate, northwesterly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show some strong Cold Air Advection (CAA) in the form of a backdoor cold front that will push into the northeastern corner of the state this afternoon and evening, and push south and west overnight.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the upper 80s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 40s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the lower 30s F, and 20s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are possible this evening near the backdoor cold front.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today will be hot, dry and breezy by the afternoon.  The NWS has issued a few Red Flag Warnings.

I have some work to do outside today, regardless of the winds.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Satellite Image of the Week 2020 #39

This week’s image was taken over the Suez Canal.

I just liked this image, and because I call this “Satellite Image” of the week, I will go ahead and include it. I just like the way the satellite captures the wakes of both ships.

I found this by playing with Google Maps and thinking about all of the neat places on this Earth. I’ll never get to see them all, but I will see as many of them as I can. I doubt I’ll ever sail through the Suez Canal, but thankfully, Google Maps brings it to me.

Thank you for reading this post!

Source:  
Google Maps
College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/26/20

Yesterday, Socorro was hot, sunny, and with a slight breeze.

This morning, Rio Rancho has been sunny, mild and still.  The smoke has returned.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  High pressure remains over the desert southwest.  This will leave us under hot and dry conditions today, though changes are on the way.  It will be windier today than we have seen for a while, but we will retain our near-record temperatures.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 90 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, increasing to 15-20 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 54 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph, decreasing to 5-10 mph after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 94 F. The winds will be from the north at 10-15 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 62 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 86 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 55 F. The winds will be from the west at 15 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 86 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-15 mph.  This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 54 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-15 mph.  There is a Red Flag Warning in place from 12 PM until 7 PM.

The NWS in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning for a good chunk of the central and eastern parts of the state today.  The NWS Watches and Warnings graphic is shown below:

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state.  I have excluded this image from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a dry atmosphere.  There was 0.36 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 2424 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 4.8 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 29 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 12 kts (due to a mix of speed and directional changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and low humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under no strong pressure systems or gradients.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, northerly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the upper 80s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 60s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the lower 30s F, and 20s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are not expected today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today will be hot, dry and breezy by the afternoon.  The NWS has issued a few Red Flag Warnings, even though the winds are only expected to be up to 20 mph, because of the dry atmosphere.

I may do a little work outside today, depending on the wind.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/25/20

Yesterday, Socorro was hot and mostly sunny.  There were a few light clouds in the afternoon.

This morning, Rio Rancho has been sunny, mild and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  High pressure is building over the desert southwest.  This will leave us under hot and dry conditions for the next few days.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 91 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, becoming southwesterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 57 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 5-15 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 94 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5 mph, becoming northeasterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 60 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 86 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 10 mph, becoming northwesterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 56 F. The winds will be from the west at 10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 86 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5 mph, becoming northwesterly in the afternoon.  This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 55 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph.

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state.  I have excluded this image from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a moderately humid sounding, with no nearly-saturated layers.  There was 0.42 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 2057 m. There was a large thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 4.8 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 11 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 13 kts (due mostly to speed changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and moderate humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under no strong pressure systems or gradients.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, northerly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the lower 90s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 60s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 20s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are not expected today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today will be actually hot, and drier than it has been for some time, with high temperatures in the 90s F and dewpoints in the 20s F.  A back door cold front is expected to impact the state later this weekend, bringing with it more seasonal temperatures and wind, but with so little moisture in the air, clouds and showers are not expected.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/24/20

Yesterday, Socorro was hot and mostly sunny.  There were a few light clouds in the afternoon.

This morning, Socorro has been sunny, mild and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  High pressure is building over the desert southwest.  This will leave us under hot and dry conditions for the next few days.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a  sunny day, with a high temperature of 88 F. The winds will be calm, becoming southwesterly at 5 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 57 F.  The winds will be from the southwest at 5 mph, becoming northwesterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 91 F. The winds will be from the north at 5 mph, becoming easterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 57 F.  The winds will be from the southeast at 5 mph, becoming southwesterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 84 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5 mph, becoming southeasterly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 54 F. The winds will be from the southeast at 10 mph, becoming southwesterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 84 F. The winds will be from the northeast at 5 mph, becoming northwesterly in the afternoon.  This evening will be clear, and a low temperature of 53 F. The winds will be from the west at 5 mph, becoming southerly after midnight.

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state.  I have excluded this image from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a moderately humid sounding, with no nearly-saturated layers.  There was 0.54 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1663 m. There was a moderate thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 5.8 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 4 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 48 kts (due mostly to speed changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and moderate humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under slightly higher pressure, with no strong pressure gradient.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, northerly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows showers and thunderstorms are unlikely today.  This chart, and the precipitation chart have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the upper 80s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 60s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 30s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are not expected today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies all day.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Summer is trying its best to maintain its grip on New Mexico.  We will approach 90 F today in the Rio Grande River Valley, with hot, dry, still weather under this ridge of high pressure.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/23/20

Yesterday, Socorro was sunny, hazy and warm.  It was pleasant all day.  Amazingly (to me), there was a few drops of rain in the evening, but nothing measurable.

This morning, Socorro has been sunny, mild and still.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  A low-amplitude shortwave trough will move through the state today.  Most of the state is warm and dry, and the trough will have limited impact.  However, over the eastern and northeastern parts of the state, as well as a high elevations, there may be a few afternoon showers and thunderstorms as this trough passes.  Meager moisture will limit shower and thunderstorm development.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 85 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 56 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 5-15 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 89 F. The winds will be from the north at 10 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 56 F.  The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 80 F. The winds will be from the north at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 52 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-15 mph, becoming westerly by midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 82 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.  This evening will be mostly clear, and a low temperature of 51 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-15 mph, becoming northeasterly after midnight.

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state, but there are few light clouds over the Rio Grande Rift Valley.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows an inverted-v sounding, with a nearly-saturated layer from around 600 mb to 400 mb.  There was 0.72 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1902 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 7.4 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 24 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 18 kts (due mostly to speed changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and moderate humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under slightly higher pressure, with no strong pressure gradient.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, northwesterly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows a few showers and thunderstorms over the northeastern corner of the state this afternoon.

There may even be a little bit of rain over the northeastern corner and eastern plains through tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the lower 80s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 60s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 30s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are not expected today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows a few clusters of clouds in the northeastern corner of the state.

Today should be pleasant again.  This fall has started out beautifully.  I’ll be indoors all day, of course.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD

Central New Mexico Weather: 9/22/20

Yesterday, Rio Rancho was sunny, hazy and warm.  It was pleasant all day.

This morning, Rio Rancho is mostly sunny, hazy, mild, and still.  The air is smoky, limiting some of the diurnal heating.

From the NWS in Albuquerque, NM:  High pressure will build again over CA and AZ, leading to warm, mostly dry air for New Mexico over the next few days.  High terrain showers and thunderstorms will be possible, particularly over the northern and western parts of the state this afternoon, and we may see a few clouds by this evening.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny, with a high temperature of 87 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph, becoming southwesterly in the afternoon. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 57 F.  The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny, with a high temperature of 89 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph, becoming northeasterly in the afternoon. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 59 F.  The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph, becoming northwesterly after midnight.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) increasing clouds, with a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms and a high temperature of 81 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph, becoming northeasterly in the afternoon. This evening will be partly cloudy, and a low temperature of 54 F. The winds will be from the west at 10 mph.

The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny, with a high temperature of 82 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph, becoming westerly in the afternoon.  This evening will be partly cloudy, and a low temperature of 54 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph.

The visible satellite imagery shows clear skies over most of the state today. This image has been excluded from today’s post.

The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a moderately humid atmosphere with a nearly-saturated layer from around 600 mb to 400 mb.  There was 0.57 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), no Convective Inhibition (CIN), and the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1284 m. There was a small thermal inversion near the surface and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 5.4 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 12 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 18 kts (due mostly to speed changes).

The surface observations chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows mild temperatures and moderate humidity.  The skies are sunny (according to the sensors) and winds are light and variable.

The surface pressure chart (from the SPC Mesoscale Analysis Map) shows we are under slightly higher pressure, with no strong pressure gradient.  The RAP shows that pressure will drop with diurnal heating, but no strong pressure gradients are expected over the next six hours.

The NAM 250 mb chart shows light, southwesterly flow over the state today.

The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today.  These charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows no further shower or thunderstorm development today.  The simulated reflectivity and precipitation charts have been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will peak in the mid 80s F.

The low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 60s F right around sunrise tomorrow morning.

The Nested NAM shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 30s F all day.

The Nested NAM shows strong winds are not expected today.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows clear skies by this afternoon.  This chart has been excluded from today’s post.

Today should be pleasant.  The NWS is calling for a few clouds, and perhaps even an isolated shower or thunderstorm or two.  I would believe that, even though the NAM is showing very little cloud cover this evening.  I think the NAM may be running a little dry right now, as there were a few clouds last night as well.

The forecasts from the National Weather Service are from The NWS Homepage
The upper air soundings and mesoscale analysis plots are from the Storm Prediction Center website.
The satellite data, model data, and forecasted soundings are from College of DuPage – SATRAD