Put away the Christmas sweaters — warmer weather is here to stay

New Mexicans’ dreams of a white Christmas may be dashed as the state sees temperatures well above average for December.

Several cities and towns broke record temperatures this week, especially in eastern New Mexico, while Albuquerque residents enjoyed clear skies and warm weather 20 degrees hotter than average for this time of year.

While some may be enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, the uncharacteristic heat may have implications for future drought conditions and next year’s fire season, according to the National Weather Service.

With this week’s higher temperatures, the early snowpack is already melting, said NWS meteorologist Carter Greulich.

“Having this snowfall already beginning to melt away, especially even at those higher locations, can cause concerns for potential drought conditions increasing in much of the state itself,” Greulich said. 

New Mexico’s snowpacked peaks aren’t just a playground for skiers and snowboarders — they’re vital to springtime. Runoff trickles down the mountain to sustain the season’s budding greenery and feed the state’s rivers and streams, Greulich explained. 

But what exactly is behind all this unusual sunshine? 

The warm weather is caused by a high-pressure system that has kept conditions clear and calm throughout the Southwest, which has progressively heated the earth, Greulich said.

Due to that high pressure, many municipalities met or surpassed record temperatures by the latter half of the week. 

Albuquerque tied with past records twice this week. On Thursday, temperatures reached 67 degrees, and on Friday the metro area reached 65. 

Temperatures were even higher in other parts of the state Thursday, with Tucumcari and Clayton hitting record temperatures at 82 degrees. Meanwhile, Las Vegas also broke records with 73 degrees on the thermometer. 

Gallup and Raton also reached record highs at 63 and 75 degrees, respectively.

Those warm conditions are expected to continue at least through the middle of next week, though they may stretch further than that, Greulich said. 

On Sunday, temperatures are expected to briefly cool before rising again, according to the NWS forecast.

The extra sunshine won’t last forever though. Meteorologists predict more precipitation in two to three weeks, Greulich said, though any estimate that far out is tentative at best and may change.