Headline:
Fire Weather Watch issued May 16 at 7:59PM MDT until May 18 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Event:
Fire Weather Watch
Urgency:
Future
Effective:
May 16, 2026 - 6:59pm
Expires:
May 17, 2026 - 5:00am
Description:
...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND ALL OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO...
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PARTS OF WESTERN,
MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL EASTERN NEW MEXICO...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
SOUTHWESTERN, MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO...
.Winds are slowly tapering off enough this evening to reduce the
critical fire weather threat. However, extremely poor humidity
recovery is expected overnight with many areas only reaching 15 to
25 percent come dawn Sunday. More widespread and stronger
southwesterly winds alongside another round of 6 to 15 hours of
single-digit humidity will yield critical to extremely critical fire
weather conditions for most of west-central, central, and all of
eastern New Mexico Sunday. Another round of critical fire weather
conditions is expected across southwest, central and eastern New
Mexico Monday with even stronger wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph across
eastern New Mexico. Around 6 to 12 hours of single digit humidity
values are expected across east central and southeast New Mexico on
Monday.
* AFFECTED AREA...Upper Rio Grande Valley and Lower Chama River
Valley (Zone 121).
* TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, from 10 AM to 9 PM MDT Sunday.
For the Fire Weather Watch, from Monday morning through Monday
evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS...For the Red Flag Warning southwest winds 10 to 20
mph with gusts up to 40 mph, and for the Fire Weather Watch
southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For the Red Flag Warning Relative Humidity
between 8 to 21 percent, and for the Fire Weather Watch Relative
Humidity between 13 to 24 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
burning is not recommended.
Instruction:
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field
of this Red Flag Warning.
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field
of this Fire Weather Watch.
Area Description:
Upper Rio Grande Valley and Lower Chama River Valley
Forcast Office:
NWS Albuquerque NM
Sender:
w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov