Bitterly cold temperatures continue to hang around eastern New Mexico. Warmer weather will finally return by this weekend with spring-like temperatures next week.
It was a record cold start to the day across eastern parts of New Mexico. High temperatures have stayed below freezing across almost all of the eastern part of the state this afternoon with record cold high temperatures. The rest of the state continues to see mild weather with lighter winds. It will be another bitterly cold night in eastern New Mexico, but there should be fewer record seeing low temperatures.
Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer on Thursday in the eastern part of the state, but still well-below average for this time of year. A weak weather disturbance will move into New Mexico Friday, bringing chances for light snow into the northern mountains and a couple spotty sprinkles in northern and central New Mexico. As much as 2″ of snow will be possible in the northern mountains with only a couple-hundredths of an inch of rain at most. High temperatures will also take a slight dip in the western half of the state Friday.
A major warming trend starts this weekend. Breezy to locally windy weather will also develop this weekend, especially on Sunday when high temperatures will be above average statewide. By early next week, a few locations will even get close to record high temperatures with dry and warm weather sticking around through at least the middle of next week.