Hot, dry and breezy weather until mid-week
Tuesday morning is mild, mostly clear and calmer. Strong winds from Monday subsided overnight. The winds are under ten miles per hour for most of the state, except in the southeast plains, where winds of ten to twenty five are still present. Most of the state is extremely dry, but low level moisture is sitting in the east plains, east of the central mountain chain. An air quality alert is in effect in Lincoln, Chaves and De Baca counties until Tuesday afternoon, due to thick plumes of smoke moving northeast from the Sacramento Mountain fires near Ruidoso.
Forecast Continues Below
Wildfire: Latest on South Fork Fire near Ruidoso; evacuations ordered
Wildfire: Latest on Salt Burn Fire on Mescalero Apache Reservation
The winds will stay lighter today, but southwesterly breezes up to 40 mph are expected east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and up to around 30 mph in other parts of the state. The fire danger will remain high today, thanks to unseasonably hot temperatures, dry air and breezes across the state. There is a fire warning for the Salt Fire, south of Ruidoso, and both that and the South Fork fire will continue to grow today. The winds will shift in from the southwest on Wednesday, and ample moisture will arrive in New Mexico. This will come with scattered showers and storms Wednesday through the weekend. The best chances for widespread rain will be on Thursday and Friday.
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