Rio Rancho, NM Weather Alerts

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT SATURDAY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM
AREAWIDE DUE TO STRONG WIND, LOW HUMIDITY, AND AN UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM SUNDAY FOR THE CENTRAL
HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WIND, LOW HUMIDITY, AND AN UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE...

.Winds will trend stronger areawide today as an upper level
trough moves through the region steering the jetstream over
southern and eastern New Mexico. Widespread critical fire weather
is likely, with extreme fire weather conditions in many locations
east of the central mountain chain where wind gusts up to 50 mph
are expected with minimum humidities in the single digits. Haines
Indices will max out at their highest possible value of 6 in most
locations. In addition, a Pacific cold front will cross from the
west this afternoon and evening shifting winds out of the
northwest and west. In the wake of the upper level trough on
Sunday, northwest winds will be weaker but still gusty, and
potentially strong enough for another round of critical fire
weather conditions across the Central Highlands.

* AREA AND TIMING...Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), West Central
Mountains (Zone 105), West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109),
Middle Rio Grande Valley (Zone 106), Upper Rio Grande Valley and
Lower Chama River Valley (Zone 121), North Central, Sangre de
Cristo, Sandia, and Manzano Mountains (Zones 120, 122, and 124),
Northeast Highlands (Zone 123), and the Northeast and East
Central Plains (Zones 104 and 126) from 11 AM until 9 PM today.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest and west 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to
45 mph, except up to 50 mph east of the central mountain chain.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values from 4 to 16 percent with
locally higher values in the mountains near the Colorado border
and mostly single digits east of the central mountain chain.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended..

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1PM TO 8PM MDT MONDAY FOR
WESTERN NM AS WELL AS THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND THE SANDIA
AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS DUE TO STRONG WINDS, VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND
AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

.Critical fire weather conditions are expected on Monday
afternoon across western and portions of central New Mexico.
Strong west to southwest winds will increase in advance of an
approaching disturbance and surface winds may gust near 50 mph
during the afternoon. Humidity recovery tonight will be poor to
fair which will allow humidity values to quickly bottom out close
to or within the single digits Monday afternoon. In addition, the
atmosphere is forecast to be unstable with excellent mixing.
Strong winds and low relative humidity values are also expected
across eastern New Mexico, however recent rainfall and ongoing
greenup will mitigate the critical fire weather concerns.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag
Warning...which is in effect from 1 PM to 8 PM MDT Monday. The
Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

* AREA AND TIMING...Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), West Central
Mountains (Zone 105), Middle Rio Grande Valley (Zone 106) and
the West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109) from 1 PM to 8 PM
MDT Monday.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...West to southwest 25 to 35 mph with occasional
gusts to 50 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 12 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended..

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1PM TO 8PM MDT MONDAY FOR
WESTERN NM AS WELL AS THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND THE SANDIA
AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS DUE TO STRONG WINDS, VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND
AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

.Critical fire weather conditions are expected on Monday
afternoon across western and portions of central New Mexico.
Strong west to southwest winds will increase in advance of an
approaching disturbance and surface winds may gust near 50 mph
during the afternoon. Humidity recovery tonight will be poor to
fair which will allow humidity values to quickly bottom out close
to or within the single digits Monday afternoon. In addition, the
atmosphere is forecast to be unstable with excellent mixing.
Strong winds and low relative humidity values are also expected
across eastern New Mexico, however recent rainfall and ongoing
greenup will mitigate the critical fire weather concerns.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag
Warning...which is in effect from 1 PM to 8 PM MDT Monday. The
Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

* AREA AND TIMING...Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), West Central
Mountains (Zone 105), Middle Rio Grande Valley (Zone 106) and
the West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109) from 1 PM to 8 PM
MDT Monday.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...West to southwest 25 to 35 mph with occasional
gusts to 50 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 12 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended..

* WHAT...East winds 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area.

* WHEN...Until 3 AM MDT Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs may be blown down. Expect strong crosswinds on area roadways.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The strongest winds will occur below canyons
on the east side of the Albuquerque Metro Area. Localized blowing
dust is possible.

* WHAT...East winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area. The strongest winds will occur in eastern Albuquerque below
Tijeras Canyon.

* WHEN...From Midnight tonight to 9 AM MDT Monday.

* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs may be blown down. Expect strong crosswinds on area roadways.

* WHAT...Temperatures between 96 and 102 expected.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area, and Northwest Plateau including Farmington.

* WHEN...From Noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses.

* WHAT...For the first Heat Advisory, temperatures up to 103. For
the second Heat Advisory, temperatures up to 101 expected.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area, and Northwest Plateau.

* WHEN...For the first Heat Advisory, until 8 PM MDT this evening.
For the second Heat Advisory, from Noon to 8 PM MDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses.

* WHAT...Temperatures up to 101 expected.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area, and Northwest Plateau.

* WHEN...From Noon to 8 PM MDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses.

* WHAT...For the middle and lower Rio Grande Valley, temperatures
will range between 100 and 104. For the Chaves County Plains,
temperatures will range from 103 to 108.

* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area, Lower Rio Grande Valley, and Chaves County Plains.

* WHEN...From Noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses.

* AREA AND TIMING...This includes the Middle Rio Grande Valley
(Zone 106) and the West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109).

* 20 FOOT WINDS...South to southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up
to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values between 8 and 13 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.