This week, I chose an image over the Mid-Atlantic, my old homeland of Maryland and Virginia.
In this image, you can see a strong mountain wave pattern that persists long after the Appalachian Mountains, extending nearly to the Atlantic Ocean.
Thank you for reading my post.
Sources:
College of DuPage – SATRAD
Yesterday, it was sunny and cool in Rio Rancho. I did a little work in my garden, and was able to do so without a jacket, and just a short sleeve shirt.
Today, it is sunny and cold in Rio Rancho. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 50 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph, becoming southerly in the afternoon. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 25 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 58 F. The winds will be from the south at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 25 F. The winds will be from the south at 10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 49 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 26 F. The winds will be from the south at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 48 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 10-20 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 24 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says an arctic high pressure system over the Great Plains has forced some cold air into the northeastern corner of the state. They had some freezing fog and low stratus clouds this morning, but the upper level winds will mix some of this away. This afternoon, the low pressure system over southern California will drift towards Arizona strengthening the pressure gradient through the state.
The visible satellite imagery shows a little fog and low clouds over the eastern edge of the state.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows zonal flow, with a little impulse approaching from the southwest.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a cold, dry atmosphere. There was 0.14 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), and no Convective Inhibition (CINH). The Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1386 m. There was a small thermal inversion and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 4.0 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 20 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 62 kts (due mostly to speed changes).
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, dry weather. The skies are sunny, except along the eastern edge of the state (according to the sensors). The winds are light and variable.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under no strong pressure systems, though there is a moderate gradient over the northeastern corner of the state from northeast to southwest due to the high pressure over the Great Plains. The RAP shows this trend is expected to continue for at least the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows moderate zonal flow today.
The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show no strong thermal advection over the state today. There is arctic air over the northeastern corner of the state, but it is not expected to push very far west.
The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows precipitation is unlikely today. This, the precipitation chart and the snow charts have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the upper 40s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the mid 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will remain in the upper 10s F and lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows strong winds are possible this afternoon, particularly near the central mountain chain.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows sunny skies today and clear skies tonight. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
Today, the weather will be a little warmer than yesterday. It will be sunny and clear, and the strongest winds will not impact the middle Rio Grande River Valley. Overall, it should be a pleasant winter day.
I will probably do a little work outside in the nicer weather. I will also need to run some errands, and I am trying to decide when to do that, as even though the weather is nice, there is only so much daylight.
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.
Yesterday, it was sunny and cold in Socorro.
Today, it is sunny and cold in Rio Rancho. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 47 F. The winds will be from the south at 5-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 23 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph, becoming southwesterly after midnight.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 52 F. The winds will be from the south at 5-10 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 23 F. The winds will be from the west at 5 mph, becoming southerly after midnight.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 46 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 10-14 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 22 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 45 F. The winds will be from the west at 15-20 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 21 F. The winds will be from the west at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says the temperature will warm a few degrees today but still remain below average. A fast-moving disturbance may lead to a few, light afternoon snow showers at high elevations along the western slopes of the northern mountains. The weather will be windy, particularly along the eastern slopes of the central mountain range.
The visible satellite imagery shows a few light, high clouds. Most of the white on this image is lingering snow.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows zonal flow, with no major waves of moisture approaching.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a cold, humid atmosphere. There was 0.16 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), and no Convective Inhibition (CINH). The Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 1262 m. There was a small thermal inversion and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 2.8 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 33 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 50 kts (due mostly to speed changes).
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, dry weather. The skies are sunny (according to the sensors). The winds are light and variable.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under no strong pressure systems or gradients today. The RAP shows none are expected to form in the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows moderate to strong, zonal flow 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 precipitation is unlikely today. This, the precipitation chart and the snow charts have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the mid 40s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the mid 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will rise into the lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows strong winds are possible this afternoon.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows sunny skies today and clear skies tonight. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
Today, the weather will be cold, sunny and a bit breezy. The NWS mentions some snow in the north, but the NAM isn’t showing much. Here in the Albuquerque Metro area, temperatures will be a few degrees above yesterday’s temperatures.
I will go to church here in a few minutes. After that, I may do a little work in my shed. This evening, we will run a few errands and go out for dinner. I’ll probably stay indoors most of the day.
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.
Yesterday, it was sunny and cold in Socorro and Magdalena.
Today, it is mostly clear and cold in Socorro. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 43 F. The winds will be from the west at 5 mph, becoming southwesterly this afternoon. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 22 F. The winds will be from the west at 5 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 44 F. The winds will be from the north at 5 mph, becoming southerly in the afternoon. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 19 F. The winds will be from the south at 5 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 41 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 20 F. The winds will be from the southwest at 5-10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 38 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 19 F. The winds will be from the west at 10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says the temperature will warm a few degrees today but still remain below average. A few small disturbances might drop light mountain snow in the north, but even these will taper off later this morning.
The visible satellite imagery is unavailable at this time. The enhanced infrared imagery shows very few clouds over the state. These images have been excluded from today’s post.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows zonal flow, with no major waves of moisture approaching.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, is unavailable at this time.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, dry weather. The skies are sunny (according to the sensors). The winds are light and variable.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under very high pressure and a moderate pressure gradient along the northern edge of the state. The RAP shows the pressure will decrease with diurnal heating, still remaining high, but weakening the pressure gradient over the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows light to moderate, zonal flow 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 precipitation is unlikely today. This, the precipitation chart and the snow charts have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the lower 40s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the mid 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will remain in the 10s F.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows strong wind are unlikely. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows sunny skies today and clear skies tonight. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
Today, the weather will be cold, sunny and have only light winds. There’s nothing remarkable, other than the temperatures are a little below average.
I will take the buses and trains today, though I will need to walk to a friend’s house and get a signature for some paperwork sometime this morning or afternoon. Otherwise, I will remain indoors.
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.
Yesterday, it was mostly sunny and cold in Socorro and Magdalena.
Today, it is mostly clear and cold in Socorro. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 37 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph, becoming westerly by this afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 18 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 40 F. The winds will be from the north at 10 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 16 F. The winds will be from the west at 5 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 31 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 13 F, with wind chill to -2 F. The winds will be from the west at 5-10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 33 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph, becoming westerly in the afternoon. This evening will be clear, with a low temperature of 13 F. The winds will be from the west at 10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says a few lingering, light snow showers will finish up this morning. The temperature for the next seven days are expected to be well below average. Today will be mostly sunny and cold.
The visible satellite imagery shows white splotches, but those are lingering snow. There are a few patches of thin, high clouds that really only appear in the loop.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows some moisture drifting southeast through Utah, headed towards the state.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, shows a cold, dry atmosphere. There was 0.13 inches of precipitable water present in the column this morning. There was no Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), and no Convective Inhibition (CINH). The Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) was 747 m. There was no thermal inversion and the 0-3 km lapse rate was 5.3 C/km. The hodograph shows that the low-level shear was 3 kts (due mostly to directional changes) and the deep-layer shear was 35 kts (due mostly to speed changes).
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, humid weather. The skies are sunny (according to the sensors). The winds are light and northerly.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under very high pressure and no strong pressure gradients. The RAP shows this trend will continue over the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows light northerly flow becoming zonal by the early afternoon.
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 precipitation is unlikely today. This, the precipitation chart and the snow charts have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the upper 30s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will drop from the upper 10s F to the single digits this afternoon.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows breezy conditions, but gusts are expected to remain under 25 kts. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows sunny skies today and clear skies tonight. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
Today, we are left in the wake of the last winter storm. Conditions will be sunny and cold, with only a light breeze. Precipitation is not expected at this time.
I will drive home this evening, but will otherwise avoid the cold weather and stay indoors.
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.
Yesterday, it was partly sunny and cold in Socorro.
Today, it is mostly clear and cold in Rio Rancho. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 38 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 15-20 mph. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 16 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a sunny day, with a high temperature of 41 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 14 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 33 F, and wind chill as low as 0 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 9 F, with wind chill to -2 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 32 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-20 mph. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 11 F. The winds will be from the north at 5-10 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says yesterday’s winter storm will move out of the area, though northwesterly flow will remain. Embedded in this flow regime are a series of small amplitude shortwave pulses that will bring a little extra energy to the area, causing light snow along and just east of the central mountain chain. Cold weather will remain in the region today.
The visible satellite imagery is unavailable at this time. The enhanced infrared imagery shows a few clouds over the northern part of the state.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows the low has moved northeast, and northwesterly flow remains.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, is unavailable at this time.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, humid weather. The skies are cloudy in most locations (according to the sensors). The winds are light and northerly.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under slightly higher pressure with no strong pressure gradients. The RAP shows this trend will continue for at least the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows strong, zonal flow.
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 precipitation is unlikely today. This, the precipitation chart and the snow charts have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the upper 30s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will drop from the upper 10s F to the single digits this afternoon.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows breezy conditions, but gusts are expected to remain under 25 kts. This chart has been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows a few light clouds over the northeastern quadrant of the state.
Today, the storm system will finish exiting the region, leaving behind cold, breezy air in its wake. While most of the state will remain precipitation-free, there might be a few light snow showers along the central mountain chain, as indicated by the simulated infrared imagery and the simulated radar chart (not included).
I will drive to Socorro and Magdalena today, then spending the night in Socorro. I don’t think I’ll spend any time outside, if I can help it.
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.
Yesterday, it was sunny, cold in Rio Rancho, becoming cloudy in the evening.
Today, it is mostly clear and cold in Rio Rancho. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a high temperature of 40 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, increasing to 15-20 mph and gusting to 35 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 18 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a mostly sunny day, with a 20% chance of snow showers (no additional accumulation) and a high temperature of 42 F. The winds will be from the north at 10-15 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 17 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a partly sunny day, with a 30% chance of snow showers (additional accumulation < 0.5″) and a high temperature of 35 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-20 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low temperature of 14 F, with wind chill to 0 F. The winds will be from the west at 15-20 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a partly sunny day, with a high temperature of 33 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 5-10 mph, increasing to 15-20 mph in the afternoon. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low temperature of 12 F, with wind chills down to 0 F. The winds will be from the northwest at 10-15 mph.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says gusty, northwesterly winds are trailing behind yesterday’s winter storm. The winter weather products are all set to expire this morning and snowfall will taper off in the eastern part of the state over the next few hours. High temperatures will be 9 – 19 F below normal today, and scattered to broken cloud cover will be possible as there is still ample moisture in the region.
The visible satellite imagery is unavailable at this time. The enhanced infrared imagery shows thicker clouds over the eastern half of the state, though skies are clearing in the west.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows the low over southern New Mexico, moving east along the Mexican border. The deepest moisture is in front of this system.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, is unavailable at this time.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, humid weather. The skies are cloudy in most locations (according to the sensors). The winds are light and northerly.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows we are under slightly higher pressure with no strong pressure gradients. The RAP shows this trend will continue for at least the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows variable flow, as the bottom of the trough passes to our south.
The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show Cold Air Advection (CAA) approaching from the north, being pulled into the upper-level low to our south. The CAA is more apparent on the 700 mb chart.
The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows a few reflections over the central mountain chain later this evening. The precipitation chart and snow charts show nothing significant, so they have been excluded from today’s post.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the upper 30s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will remain in the upper 10s F and lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows strong winds are possible, particularly over the southern half of the state.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows a few light clouds this evening, particularly over the central mountain chain.
Today, the storm system will push east, exiting the state and leaving behind cold, breezy, mostly sunny weather. There are a few reflections on the simulated radar this evening, and a few light clouds over the central mountain chain, but I’m not sure if those will materialize or not. I expect some of the snow on the mountains will be blown off and may look like additional snow just east and southeast of them, but I don’t know if the simulated radar would know about that.
I decided to take the busses and trains today down to Socorro and back. Otherwise, I will stay inside out of the wind and the cold.
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.
Time for my 143rd week of weather station data. I am using Ambient Weather’s interface this week.
The high temperature of 46.8 F occurred on Tuesday afternoon. We had a low temperature of 16.7 F on Sunday morning. The dewpoints ranged from 39.6 F to 9.9 F.
There was 0.06 inches of rain on Tuesday, according to my weather station.
The strongest winds and the strongest gust (35.3 mph) occurred on Friday afternoon.
The high pressure was 30.00 in Hg (~1016 mb) on Thursday morning, and the lowest pressure was on Tuesday afternoon, dropping down to 29.54 in Hg (~1000 mb).
The solar charts show that sunlight increased throughout the week.
The particle count peaked at 746 µg/m3 on Sunday. This was when we were running the wood stove AND there was a very light eastern breeze, pushing the smoke particles over the sensor.
Thank you for reading my post.
Yesterday, it was sunny, cold in Rio Rancho, becoming cloudy in the evening.
Today, it is mostly clear and cold in Rio Rancho. My weather station in Rio Rancho says:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Rio Rancho, NM) a cloudy day, with a high temperature of 41 F. The winds will be from the east at 25-30 mph, gusting to 45 mph. This evening will be mostly cloudy, with a 30% chance of snow showers (< 0.5″) and a low temperature of 24 F. The winds will be from the northeast at 15-25 mph. A High Wind Warning is in effect until midnight.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Socorro, NM) a cloudy day, with a 30% chance of showers and a high temperature of 47 F. The winds will be from the southeast at 10-15 mph, increasing to 20-25 mph this afternoon. This evening will be cloudy, with a 50% chance of showers becoming a 60% chance of snow showers (1-2″) and a low temperature of 24 F. The winds will be from the east at 15 mph, becoming northerly after midnight.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Magdalena, NM) a mostly cloudy day, with a 30% chance of snow showers (< 1″) and a high temperature of 39 F. The winds will be from the southeast at 10-15 mph, increasing to 20-25 mph and gusting to 35 mph this afternoon. This evening will be cloudy, with an 80% chance of snow showers (6-10″) and a low temperature of 19 F. The winds will be from the east at 10-20 mph, becoming northerly after midnight. A Winter Weather advisory is in place from 12 PM until 8 AM tomorrow.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecasts (for Mountainair, NM) a cloudy day, with a 30% chance of snow showers (< 0.5″) and a high temperature of 35 F. The winds will be from the east at 15-25 mph, gusting to 35 mph. This evening will be cloudy, with an 80% chance of snow (3-7″) and a low temperature of 20 F. The winds will be from the northeast at 15-20 mph, gusting to 30 mph. Mountainair is under a Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM until 12 PM tomorrow.
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, has issued several Winter Weather products ahead of this system. The NWS Watches and Warnings graphic is shown below:
The NWS in Albuquerque, NM, forecaster’s discussion says an upper-level low pressure system will enter the state and trigger snowfall for much of the state, beginning this afternoon. Snowfall amounts will be heavy in some locations and travel will be impacted.
The visible satellite imagery is unavailable at this time. The enhanced infrared imagery shows cloudy skies, statewide.
The upper-level water vapor imagery shows the low over western Arizona and plenty of moisture aloft ahead of the storm system.
The 12Z upper air sounding from Albuquerque, NM, is unavailable at this time.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Surface Map shows cold, dry weather. The skies are cloudy in most locations (according to the sensors). The winds are light and variable.
The SPC Mesoscale Analysis Pressure Map shows a surface low over the boot heel of New Mexico, with a tight gradient radiating outward from it. The RAP shows this trend will continue for at least the next six hours.
The NAM 250 mb chart shows variable flow, as we sit on the east side of a trough that deforms and tilts all day.
The NAM 700 mb and 850 mb charts show Cold Air Advection (CAA) pushing east into the state. While the winds are not directly moving across the thermal gradient, the upper-level winds are moving the system east. The bulb of cold air is more apparent on the 700 mb chart.
The Nested NAM simulated reflectivity chart shows precipitation is likely, statewide. Some will drift in with the low, but more will develop over the state this afternoon and evening as the low moves east.
The Nested NAM snow charts are in agreement with coverage and intensity of the snowfall, with the deepest snow in a few patches over the mountains, as well as just east of the mountains. However, lots of places will see some snowfall this evening.
The Nested NAM temperature chart predicts that the high temperatures for the middle Rio Grande River Valley will reach the upper 30s F.
The Nested NAM also predicts shows the low temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 20s F.
The Nested NAM dewpoint chart shows that the dewpoints will remain in the upper 10s F and lower 20s F.
The Nested NAM wind prediction chart shows strong winds are possible, particularly over the southern half of the state.
The Nested NAM simulated infrared chart shows mostly cloudy skies all day and all night, statewide.
Today will be the beginning of a winter storm that will impact a large swath of New Mexico. Unlike the last few storms which have been quite dry, this one will have the moisture required to produce winter weather. I am fully expecting some travel delays and school closures tomorrow (including Magdalena). Otherwise, today will be breezy, cloudy and cold ahead of this system. The cloud cover will keep temperatures from rising very far during the day or dropping much at night.
I decided to take the busses and trains today down to Socorro and back. Otherwise, I will stay inside out of the wind and the cold.
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.
This week, I chose an image over the Atlantic.
In this image, you can see a storm spinning well off the coast of New Jersey. There was some talk of this storm being a post-tropical depression and a lot of hype about that. In any event, it coasted out to sea without causing any real impact to us, though it was neat to see.
Thank you for reading my post.
Sources:
College of DuPage – SATRAD
Experience Your World
High Plains Chasing 