New Mexico heat wave brings temperatures over 100 degrees to parts of the state

Take a dip in the pool, crank up the swamp cooler and stay inside when possible.

A heat wave has been scorching the Land of Enchantment since Tuesday, pushing temperatures close to 100 degrees in Albuquerque but even higher in other areas.

The southeastern part of the state is expected to take the brunt of the heat, with temperatures in Roswell forecast to hover between 101 and 105 degrees until Monday, when a high of 97 is predicted.

The National Weather Service said Tucumcari, Clovis and Socorro are expecting triple-digit temps through the weekend.

While New Mexico is accustomed to hot summer days, NWS meteorologists said the timing of this heat wave is “really abnormal.”

NWS meteorologist Clay Anderson said, typically, the month of August is roughly 10 degrees lower than what New Mexico has experienced this year. Thunderstorms and rain from the monsoon season that usually help keep the heat down have been “relatively unproductive,” Anderson said.

NWS does not have a formal definition of a heat wave, but described it as a “period of heat that lasts multiple days” and causes the department to issue multiple heat advisories.

The New Mexico Department of Health issued a warning advisory Thursday for a “dangerous heat wave” that will sweep across the state.

“Since April 1 there have been over 500 emergency department visits related to heat illness around the state,” said Chelsea Eastman Langer, chief of NMDOH’s Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau. “Vulnerable populations, including children, adults over 65 years of age, outdoor workers, and those with chronic health conditions are at greatest risk.”

That’s nearly twice the number of heat-related emergency visits in 2024, when there were 308, according to a database from NMTracking, which documents health and environmental data across New Mexico.

The heat wave, which began Tuesday when temperatures reached a high of 99 degrees in Albuquerque, is expected to let up over the weekend, with temperatures dropping to the mid-90s.

NMDOH suggests people keep window shades drawn to keep the heat out, wear light-colored clothing and never leave children and pets inside a vehicle during extreme heat.