Afternoon rain and storm chances will move into parts of New Mexico this week. Tropical moisture moves in this weekend, bringing widespread, heavy rainfall. Mornings are still looking quiet for Balloon Fiesta, but rain chances move in this weekend.
Temperatures were cooler today across New Mexico thanks to the cold front that moved in overnight. The front has brought higher moisture, which is causing more showers and storms to develop this afternoon. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms continue moving through eastern New Mexico. Meanwhile, severe storms are popping up in central New Mexico and will continue to develop into this evening. This could bring a threat of severe weather into the Albuquerque Metro before 7 PM with hail, strong winds, and heavy rain the biggest threats. A Flood Watch is in effect though until 6 AM Wednesday for areas from the East Mountains down to Ruidoso and Roswell. This is where rain and storms will move into overnight. A few isolated showers may pop up overnight around the Albuquerque Metro as well.
Still expecting a green flag for Day 5 of Balloon Fiesta with northerly winds on the ground and southerly winds aloft, creating the box effect. However, there may be a few spotty showers around the Metro. Parts of the state that wake up to rain Wednesday morning, will clear out by the afternoon. Thunderstorms will develop though in western and northern New Mexico, with an isolated storm chance in central parts of the state.
Quiet mornings are expected out at Balloon Fiesta for Thursday and Friday’s Special Shapes Rodeo and Mass Ascension. A box effect is looking likely both days as well! Even the evenings are looking mostly quiet for the other events at Balloon Fiesta. Afternoon storm chances will mainly stay in western and northern parts of New Mexico, along with southern Colorado.
The weather turns much more active starting Saturday. While the morning should stay quiet for Balloon Fiesta, winds turn southerly at the ground and get breezier aloft again. Moisture from Hurricane Priscilla in the eastern Pacific Ocean will start to bring in heavy rain to western New Mexico by Saturday afternoon. These showers will also make their way into the Rio Grande Valley by the afternoon and evening as well. This could damper evening events at Balloon Fiesta. More moisture from a soon-to-be named storm in the eastern Pacific will move in Sunday, bringing even more rain and storms in from the west on Sunday. This could potentially bring rain in to the Albuquerque area Sunday morning and through the day. Heavier rain is likely in southwest New Mexico Sunday. Showers and storms will likely stick around the state into early next week as well.
