Winds will pick up across New Mexico starting Wednesday, bringing several days of high fire danger through the end of the week.
It was a hotter Tuesday across New Mexico, with temperatures climbing into the 70s and 80s for more areas. The winds have remained light to calm today as a weak ridge of high pressures moves overhead.
Although the stretch of lighter wind will be brief, windier weather develops Wednesday afternoon as southwesternly winds will gust at 25 to 45 mph across New Mexico while relative humidity stays low, which will bring high fire danger statewide, with its greatest concern for Albuquerque into northern and eastern New Mexico.
Temperatures will climb into the 70s and 80s again, which is unseasonably warm for this time of the year.
By Wednesday night, winds will ease but even stronger winds are expected Thursday afternoon as westerly winds will gust 35 to 55 mph.
A cold front will also move into the state from the northwest, bringing a slight drop in temperatures across northern New Mexico.
Fire danger will remain high statewide, with a corridor of even greater concern along I-40 in eastern New Mexico.
On Friday, winds will be lighter, but its gust could reach 40 mph in parts of the state. Fire danger will not be quite as high, but will remain elevated.
A similar pattern is observe and will continue into Saturday with breezy to locally windy conditions.
Stronger winds will return Sunday afternoon, with gusts up to 55 mph possible and as humidity will be slightly higher, which should help limit the fire danger somehow.
A few spotty showers and thunderstorms are possible on Sunday particularly across Western, northwestern, and northern New Mexico.