Weather Alert in New Mexico

Recent Locations: Springville, UT Mayville, WI Rio Rancho, NM

Red Flag Warning issued February 17 at 1:26AM MST until February 17 at 7:00PM MST by NWS Albuquerque NM

AREAS AFFECTED: Northeast Plains; Northeast Highlands; East Central Plains

DESCRIPTION: ...RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM FOR THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, AND THE EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PLAINS, DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...RED FLAG WARNING WEDNESDAY FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM FOR THE NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, AND THE NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS, DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH WEDNESDAY FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM FOR THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... .Strong to damaging southwest and west winds will impact eastern areas today with critical fire weather conditions. Peak wind gusts of 55 to 70 mph with minimum humidities from 14 to 25 percent will enable rapid fire spread in fine fuels. Another day of strong to potentially damaging southwest winds is expected on Wednesday, when humidities will drop between 8 and 22 percent across central and eastern NM. Winds will weaken some while shifting out of the northwest on Thursday, and humidities will climb some, but there is a roughly 25 percent chance that critical fire weather conditions will return to some areas east of the central mountain chain. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning...which is in effect from 10 AM to 7 PM MST Wednesday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AREA AND TIMING...Northeast Highlands (Zone 123), Northeast Plains (Zone 104), and East Central Plains (Zone 126) today and Wednesday from 10 AM until 7 PM MST. * 20 FOOT WINDS...For today, southwest to west 30 to 40 mph with peak gusts from 55 to 70 mph. For Wednesday, southwest winds 20 to 35 mph with gusts between 45 and 50 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For today, minimum values of 14 to 25 percent. For Wednesday, minimum values of 8 to 20 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

INSTRUCTION: Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this Red Flag Warning.

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Weather Topic: What is Rain?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain

Rain Next Topic: Shelf Clouds

Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain. Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.

Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island. Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of cities is 30% greater.

Next Topic: Shelf Clouds

Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow