NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Mostly quiet conditions will continue in the short term in New Mexico, but Tropical Storm Ileana, located around the southern tip of Baja California this morning, will bring moisture across the region later this weekend with a break from the record-high temperatures. Some of that moisture is already creeping into southern areas of New Mexico, but plenty of dry air that’s still in place has still allowed for rain-free conditions. Wildfire smoke is still in the air across parts of New Mexico, but especially in The Four Corners; however, it won’t be quite as hazy later today. With mostly clear skies, lighter winds, (which will mostly continue later today), as well as dry air, radiational cooling has taken place, but with a warmer air-mass aloft, it’s not quite as chilly this morning for most, starting off in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and low 70’s.
As temperatures across the region rise from the morning school commute into the high 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and near 100 degrees for a few areas by the afternoon, a little bit of moisture to the south, along with daytime heating, will lead to very spotty thunderstorms in The Southern Mountains. Meanwhile, wildfire smoke from The Southwest will still continue to partially settle to the ground, mostly in The Four Corners, in the form of spotty poor air quality with southwesterly winds that have the potential to spark a few fires.
Strong upper-level winds, generally from the west-southwest, will continue to usher in very warm air and dry conditions. However, the tropical moisture from the south-southwest will bring in higher rain chances late this weekend into early next week with an eventual big drop in temperatures.