New Mexico
Advocacy group pushes for more heat protection in New Mexico
It seems like New Mexico is getting hotter and climate advocates say it’s becoming a life-threatening issue
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico is getting hotter and climate advocates say it’s becoming a life-threatening issue.
A map from the independent group Climate Central shows what parts of the country have seen the biggest increases in average summer temperatures since 1970. New Mexico is pretty dark, with almost every county experiencing at least a 3 degree increase.
That might not sound like much, but this is the average increase, meaning there’s been summer days well above the normal temperatures.
Experts predict it’s only going to get hotter and more dangerous for everyday New Mexicans.
“New Mexico is getting hotter in every county, in every community,” said Nathaniel Matthews-Trigg, a founding member of Healthy Climate New Mexico.
Matthews-Trigg says it’s not the kind of heat you can just tough it out through anymore.
“All of a sudden, we’re reaching points where it’s taking physical tolls on our bodies. It’s becoming more difficult to play outside in the summer, to work in the garden, to exercise outdoors,” said Matthews-Trigg.
According to National Weather Service data, temperatures hit 100 degrees in Albuquerque 17 days last year, quadrupling the number of triple-digit days in 2022.
There’s only been five 100 degree days this year so far, but that’s not the most concerning statistic.
“When we look at the research, we see that this increase in average temperature, which means greater extreme heat events, is really resulting in an increase in injury and death,” Matthews-Trigg said.
Data from the New Mexico Health Department is clear, more New Mexicans are dying from the heat and even more are going to the hospital because of it.
It’s a concern for business owners like John Grisak who manages three different roofing companies in New Mexico.
“These are the toughest men and women you’ve ever seen, because they have to work in extreme cold, but they also work in very, very extreme heat,” said John Grisak, owner of Fiddler Roofing.
Grisak says his roofers are good about drinking water and taking breaks when they need it, so he doesn’t enforce any heat-related policies. But that’s not always the case.
“We know that outdoor workers are incredibly vulnerable, and there’s a growing movement for occupational heat standard,” said Matthews-Trigg.
The Biden administration recently directed OSHA to make that happen after data shows more than 400 American workers died from heat-related issues since 2011.
Matthews-Trigg suggests state lawmakers could approve a statewide occupation heat standard faster, and tailor it for New Mexico’s specific climate.
“In New Mexico, we don’t have much humidity, but what we do have is really intense sun, what we call solar radiation. So we need to make sure that any occupational heat standard takes into account the local context,” Matthews-Trigg said.
Grisak says he would welcome the oversight.
“We’ll follow the law, whatever needs to be done. Because without these tough men and women, I don’t have a business,” said Grisak.
Matthews-Trigg says there are also a lot of opportunities for community groups to partner with local governments and clinics to help New Mexicans brace the intense heat before approving new laws.
New Mexico
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Photo CourtesyLAPS
LAHS junior Tate Plohr and freshman Linus Plohr qualified to attend the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Middle School student Branden Keller was awarded the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair. Photo Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Twenty students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) competed, with several garnering awards at the 2026 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.
LAHS junior Tate Plohr qualified to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next month in Phoenix, Ariz. He was awarded the 3rd-place Grand Award. Freshman Linus Plohr qualified as an alternate and will also be attending the Regeneron ISEF.
Students who participated in the state competition include, from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Sydney Chen, Mary Beth Kelsey, Lily Neale, Aurora Roberts Voss and Henry Rodarte; and Glyn Lo and Ernest Maupin, Mountain Elementary.
Students from LAMS who competed include Evelyn Fobes, Mason Garcia, Andrew Gilbertson, James Junghans, Sequoya Ke, Brandon Keller, Nejan Liyanage and Daniel Yampolsky.
LAHS students Julia Neale, Linus Plohr, Tate Plohr, Lilia Veteva, Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch competed at the senior level.
2026 Award winners:
Category Awards – Junior Division
- Animal Science, Cellular & Molecular
- Biomedical & Health Science
- Honorable Mention: Sequoya Ke
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, Software & Technology
- 2nd place: Nejan Liyanage
- Physics & Astronomy
- 1st place: Sydney Chen
- 2nd place: Mason Garcia
- Honorable Mention: Marybeth Kelsey
- Plant Science
Category Awards – Senior Division
- Behavioral & Social Science:
- Honorable Mention: Linus Plohr
- Earth & Environmental
- Honorable Mention: Lilia Viteva
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, & System Software
- 3rd Place: Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch
- Physics & Astronomy
Grand Awards
- ISEF finalist 3rd place: Tate Plohr
- Brandon Keller received the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. James Jungans and Marybeth Kelsey garnered Thermo Fisher Awards.
Other special award winners include:
- CO2 & Greenhouse Reduction Awards (Junior Division)
- Daniel Yampolsky, 2nd place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Sequoya Ke, 1st place, Biomedical & Health Science
- Brandon Keller, 1st place, Energy & Materials Science
- Andrew Gilbertson, 1st place, Physics & Astronomy
- CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award (Senior Division)
- Lilia Viteva, 1st place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Office of Naval Research Award
- David Shortess Award
- New Mexico AVS Award
- Citadel Award
- Naval Research Award
- NM Network for Women in Science & Engineering Award
- Yale Science & Engineering Award
- Rose Baca Rivet Award
Related
Arizona State baseball will host a four-game homestand, beginning with New Mexico State on Wednesday, April 22.
The Sun Devils and Aggies faced each other in late March, with ASU winning 10-4. The two teams will meet for the final time at 6:35 p.m. at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
ASU will then welcome Baylor on Friday, April 24, for a three-game series. The Sun Devils have yet to face the Bears this season, but ASU has been doing well so far and has been in the top 25 for four weeks.
Sophomore center fielder Landon Hairston earned Big 12 player of the week honors on April 13, after delivering five home runs in five games. His 10 runs in that stretch were tied for the second-most nationally and his 14 runs batted in were tied for third-most nationally. All nine of his hits went for extra bases, three more than any other player.
ASU’s series against Baylor will start at 6:35 p.m. for the first two games, followed by a 1:05 p.m. start on Sunday, April 26.
April 19
Softball at Houston, Cougar Softball Stadium, noon.
April 22
Baseball vs New Mexico State, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
April 23
Women’s golf at Big 12 Championship, Dallas Athletic Club, TBA.
Track and field at Penn Relays, Franklin Field, 1:22 p.m.
Beach volleyball at Big 12 Championship, Bear Down Beach, all day.
April 24
Baseball vs Baylor, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Softball vs Texas Tech, Farrington Stadium, 7 p.m.
April 25
Lacrosse at Colorado, Prentup Field, 11 a.m.
Softball vs Texas Tech, Farrington Stadium, 3 p.m.
Baseball vs Baylor, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 6:35 p.m.
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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Josh’s Saturday Night Forecast
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Calmer weather has moved back into the state this afternoon. Temperatures are slightly warmer across northwestern New Mexico, while southeastern areas are cooler thanks to the backdoor cold fronts that moved in on Friday. Breezier winds will return Sunday and will help kick off a warming trend across the state, along with an elevated fire threat in eastern New Mexico.
Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground.
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