As a trough passes to our north winds will continue to be gusty through the night.  On Thursday a strong cold front will push through the state knocking temps down between 10-20 degrees.  Skies will be mostly sunny.  Sunshine will continue through Saturday with temps in the 70’s.  Then an unsettled weather pattern takes shape for the latter half of the weekend into next week.  A trough will set up to our west.  This trough will draw in some moisture from the south.  How much moisture this system draws will be key to how much rain or snow we pick up.  More details as we get closer to the weekend.

A strong trough will push into the mountain west over the next 24hrs.  This system will pass to our north.  It will get close enough to crank up the winds through Thursday along with a few scattered showers over the northern mountains.  The rest of the northern part of the state will have the chance of a spot shower but significant rain or snow is not expected.  We will see much cooler temps by Thursday when highs will not escape the 60’s.  The weather will calm down by Friday and Saturday.  By Sunday another trough will set up to our west.  This trough may eventually pump moisture back into the state by the beginning of next week.

Mostly sunny skies will hold through Tuesday with highs in the 80’s.  By Wednesday winds will kick up and a trough will pass through the mountain west.  The trough will pass close enough to produce gusty winds and spot showers over the north but it will remain too far north to be a big factor precip wise.  So winds will be the main concern.  We will also drop way off temps wise by Thursday.  Highs will dip into the low 60’s.  We have the shot at another wetter storm for the beginning of next week.

A cool front will bring breezy and cooler conditions to the eastern half of New Mexico as we kick off the new work week.  However, due to limited moisture, only a few stray clouds will accompany this front as it moves past.  This means that the recent spell of dry weather will continue.  Temps will be as much as 15 degrees cooler across eastern parts of the state while the west will see little change in temperatures from Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a new storm system will approach from the west Tuesday & Wednesday.  This system will bring more wind than rain it appears.  Expect to see southwest winds increasing by Tuesday afternoon.  In addition, some mid and high level clouds will begin to stream in as well.  As far as rainfall is concerned, there will be a few spotty showers across northern parts of the state.  But widespread rainfall is not expected with this system.

Sunny & warm conditions will prevail as we wrap up the weekend.  High pressure aloft will actually keep the sun shining into the Monday as well.  However, by Monday slightly cooler air will be flowing in from the east thanks to a dry cool front.

The big weather feature next week will actually begin to have an effect on the region Tuesday and Wednesday.  This is when a storm system aloft will be approaching.  Expect breezy conditions to develop under a partly cloudy sky Tuesday.  Come Wednesday, a few showers are possible  across northern New Mexico as the storm aloft drifts by.

The low that has been sitting to our northeast for the past four days and shooting little weather fronts and disturbances our way will finally move.  This will leave the whole state under mostly sunny skies through Monday with warm temps.  Weekend highs will top out in the 80’s for the northern 2/3rds of the state.  We may even see some 90’s in the south.  Our next shot at a storm will roll in on Wednesday.  Right now this system looks like a light precip maker along with some gusty winds.  The storm should exit the state well before Balloon Fiesta begins.

The low pressure system that has been spinning to our northeast over the past three days will finally move east over the next 24 hours.  Before that exit occurs we will still see a few scattered showers in the form of snow possible through late tonight with minimal accumulations possible.  By late Friday skies will clear and the weekend looks mostly sunny with temps rebounding into the low 80’s.  Our next shot at a storm will be mid next week.