Strong winds forecast to cease through weekend before kicking up again

Residents south of Wagon Mound told to be ready to evacuate as wildfire spreads

Residents south of Wagon Mound have been told to be ready to evacuate as a wildfire torched…

Weather forecasters say whipping winds across the state will calm through the weekend before returning alongside scattered snowstorms.

The forecasted snow may come as a relief from the high winds New Mexicans have encountered this week, which spurred the National Weather Service to issue multiple wind advisories and dust storm warnings on Friday.

Areas across New Mexico registered peak wind gust speeds over 70 mph on Friday — including Cannon Air Force Base, Roswell and Clines Corners, which registered wind gusts of 75 mph. The Public Service Company of New Mexico also issued extreme weather advisories, warning customers that potential power disruptions may occur.

“Saturday might be a little bit better than today in terms of the wind, but overall it’s still going to be a cold and kind of unstable day,” said Clay Anderson, a Weather Service meteorologist in Albuquerque.

Temperatures will be roughly 10 degrees below normal heading into the weekend, reaching a high of the mid-50s, according to Anderson. Residents in the Albuquerque metro area may notice snow Saturday morning, but a majority will be seen over western and central mountains.

“Overall, not the best day, but there will be significant improvements on Sunday,” Anderson said. “We won’t have a whole lot of wind to contend with in the afternoon hours.”

Sunday will also mark a turn in temperatures, reaching a high in the mid-60s. Monday temperatures could reach the mid-70s.

The warmer weather will only be temporary, Anderson said, as there may be additional winds in advance of the next storm system, expected to move directly over New Mexico on Tuesday.

“I would expect another round of strong winds and potentially some critical fire weather conditions and blowing dust next Tuesday,” Anderson said.

The village of Wagon Mound in Mora County was on evacuation notice after a wildfire burned 3,000 acres Friday afternoon, enhanced by high wind speeds. The village was on a high wind warning until 6 p.m. and experienced wind gusts of roughly 60 mph.