Strong thunderstorms will keep moving east across New Mexico Saturday evening with wind gusts, small hail, lightning and brief heavy rain.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Strong thunderstorms will keep moving east across New Mexico Saturday evening with wind gusts, small hail, lightning and brief heavy rain.
The better storm chances Saturday evening include Gallup, Grants, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Belen, Santa Fe, Moriarty, Clines Corners and Las Vegas.
Storms will move fairly quickly, generally around 20 to 30 miles per hour. A few could become strong.
The main threats are strong and erratic wind gusts, small hail, frequent lightning and brief heavy rain.
The faster storm motion should limit the overall flash flood threat. However, flooding will still be possible where several storms follow the same path.
What’s next?
Albuquerque and Santa Fe will also need to be watched for localized urban flooding under the heaviest storms.
Later Saturday evening, storms will continue moving east of the central mountains. That will bring a chance for thunderstorms to Las Vegas, Clines Corners, Santa Rosa and Tucumcari. Activity should gradually diminish later in theevening.
Overnight, drier air will rapidly move into New Mexico above the surface and bring an end to most of the rain. However, plenty of moisture will remain close to the ground.
Combine that with wet roads and wet soil from this evening’s rain, and fog may become a problem by early Sunday morning.
