Courtesy/NWS

Courtesy/NWS

NWS News:

A VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM WILL BE IMPACTING NEW MEXICO WITH VERY STRONG WINDS ALOFT AND A DEEP AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE.

LOCATION…JEMEZ MOUNTAINS…SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS…ADJACENT NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS…CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN SUMMITS AND ADJACENT EASTERN SLOPES…THE SANTA FE AND
ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREAS…AND ALL OF THE EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO.

HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING. THERE WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN MANY CENTRAL AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE STATE.

AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO POSSIBLE…LEADING TO ABRUPT REDUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY.

* WINDS…SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASING 35 TO 45 MPH…WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 55 AND 65 MPH. WINDS TURNING WESTERLY BY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING…WIND SPEEDS WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY LATE IN THE MORNING WITH PEAK SPEEDS REACHED AROUND NOON. WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THE AFTERNOON BEFORE DECREASING NEAR SUNSET.

* VISIBILITY…LOCALLY REDUCED TO 2 MILES IN BLOWING DUST…ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN PLAINS.

* LOCAL IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS AND BROKEN TREE BRANCHES MAY BECOME AIRBORNE AND BE TOSSED ACROSS ROADS. POWER MAY BE INTERRUPTED. DRIVERS SHOULD EXPECT LOSS OF CONTROL AT TIMES…
ESPECIALLY ON ROADS ORIENTED NORTH TO SOUTH INCLUDING INTERSTATE 25 FROM GLORIETA PASS TO THE COLORADO LINE…HIGHWAY 285…HIGHWAY 54…HIGHWAY 84…STATE ROAD 39…STATE
ROAD 402…AND STATE ROAD 206.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…REMEMBER…A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS DAMAGING WINDS ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Courtesy/NWS

LOCAL 7-DAY FORECAST:

• Today Areas of blowing snow and scattered snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Windy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph increasing to 30 to 35 mph. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
  

• Tonight A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 3. Wind chill values as low as -7. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
  

• Saturday A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as -9. North wind around 10 mph.
  

• Saturday Night A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 0. Wind chill values as low as -9. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming north in the evening.
  

• Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 24. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
  

• Sunday Night A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 3.
  

• Monday A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 25.
  

• Monday Night A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 4.
  

• Tuesday A 10 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 26.
  

• Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 8.
  

• Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.
  

• Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 13.
  

• Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.