…RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FROM 3 TO 8 PM FOR THE WEST CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE DUE TO STRONG
WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY…
…FIRE WEATHER WATCH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM FOR
THE WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, BASIN, AND RANGE, MIDDLE RIO GRANDE
VALLEY, AND THE SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS ALONG AND SOUTH OF
HIGHWAY 60 DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY…
.Wind speeds will become strong west of the continental divide
this afternoon, then become strong areawide Tuesday and
Wednesday, as an upper level trough draws the jetstream over New
Mexico with strong and very dry southwest winds at the surface. A
gusty Pacific cold front will cross on Wednesday shifting the wind
direction out of the west, then out of the northwest late in the
day. After a high temperature around 8 degrees above the 30-year
average in Gallup today, highs will vary from near average to
around 10 degrees above across the Watch area on Tuesday, then
from 3 degrees above average in Socorro County on Wednesday to
around 8 degrees below average along the Arizona border. Wind
speeds will also weaken some on Wednesday, but most locations will
still experience single digit humidities Wednesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Fire
Weather Watch…which is in effect from Tuesday morning through
Tuesday evening. A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued from
Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening.
* AREA AND TIMING…West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109),
Middle Rio Grande Valley (Zone 106), and the Sandia and Manzano
Mountains (Zone 124) along and south of Highway 60 both Tuesday
and Wednesday from 11 AM to 9 PM.
* 20 FOOT WINDS…For Tuesday: southwest 25-35 mph with gusts up
to 50 mph. For Wednesday: west and eventually northwest 20-30
mph with gusts up to 40 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…For Tuesday: 9-15 percent. For Wednesday:
5-10 percent.
* IMPACTS…Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and
will be hard to control. Long range spotting and extreme fire
behavior will be possible. Outdoor burning should not be done..