ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For a fourth day in a row on Monday, we broke another high record temperature in Albuquerque as we topped off at 69°. This was also the second day in a row with the warmest temperature of the month so far, and the sixth day in December of record-breaking highs. Eight other towns broke record high temperatures yesterday (Clayton, Farmington, Gallup, Las Vegas, Portales, Raton, Santa Fe, and Tucumcari). Today, we are not expecting to break a record high temperature in Albuquerque, but it is still going to be very warm. 

Today’s forecast

Another day of mostly sunny skies for a majority of the Land of Enchantment are expected today – mainly the eastern half. A bit more clouds (partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies) may move into areas for our far western communities such as the Four Corners and southwest New Mexico. Sunshine will still break through the clouds, and we’ll see another big warm up this afternoon. These clouds will eventually move east in the late afternoon/early evening. We’re still looking at temperatures +20° above the normal statewide. This would mark a full week of us seeing afternoon highs in the 60s here in Albuquerque. Remember, we’re now in the last full week of December.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Break out the Christmas t-shirts instead of the Christmas sweaters, plus an umbrella for some western and central communities. We’re still on track to receive our first batch of sky water since the first week of December over the next couple of days. A low-pressure system has moved into the atmospheric river that is impacting many California communities as well as far western Arizona and southern Nevada, where Flood Watches remain in effect. This system will pull the moisture from the atmospheric river to the east over the next 24-48 hours during Christmas Eve & Day. Western communities in New Mexico have the earliest potential at rainfall starting tomorrow in the morning and then another round possible in the afternoon. We’re keeping it at a 10-20% chance for the morning hours and increasing that in the afternoon/evening. Spotty rain may try to make it to Albuquerque late Wednesday evening. Heading into Christmas Day, showers are possible in the early-mid morning across west and central New Mexcico – between 7 to 9 a.m. here in Albuquerque. Another round of showers are possible in the afternoon after 12 p.m. A cold front will follow Thursday late afternoon; however temperatures are still expected to be above freezing in almost all areas with the exception of +9,000 feet in the north mountains & southwest Colorado mountains which are the only spots that could see some snow. No white Christmas for Albuquerque, just a slightly soggy and warm Christmas.