Snow/Rain in the north, mild weather in southern New Mexico

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Very windy weather is the big weather story this morning in the Land of Enchantment, but the Four Corners communities, accompanied with some fast-moving passing clouds with the less pesky westerly winds than the Northeast Highlands, are still experiencing some snow, as with the westerly winds mixing the air around before two fronts move completely through, morning low temperatures are much higher compared to yesterday morning, mostly above freezing for most, starting off in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and even 60s from northwest to southeast in lower elevation.

Afternoon temperatures will be mostly higher than yesterday in southern areas, except for the northern two-thirds of the region because of chilly rain activity moving southeast with mountain snow following suit while piling up. Cold front number one, the Pacific Front from the Northwest that’s responsible for the damaging down-sloping westerly winds causing power outages along the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, will pick up to the southeast, with the movement of the first front dropping afternoon temperatures with strong-enough winds for more-widespread blowing dust and some blowing snow in the higher terrain with the elevated fire risk, also because of the still low humidity south of the precipitation field. Then, cold front number two, a backdoor front from the northeast, the tail-end of the departing storm system moving eastward, will bring in a reinforcing shot of colder air, pushing the precipitation field even farther to the southeast in the south-central higher elevations especially.

As the Jet Stream to the north moves southward in the northern tier of the region, more clouds with chilly rain showers in the valley floors, as well as some heavier mountain snow, will ensue today before Thanksgiving, as colder air with even lower humidity will return will much lighter winds.