Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast and Central New Mexico Through Sunday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of northern and central New Mexico. The alert is triggered by a combination of strong to severe winds and very low relative humidity, which creates critical fire weather conditions.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically covers the following geographic regions:

• Northeast Plains (Zone 104)
• Northeast Highlands (Zone 123)
• Central Highlands (Zone 125)

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions are expected to be hazardous through the weekend:

• Saturday: Westerly winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts reaching 35 to 40 mph. Relative humidity levels will drop to between 6 and 10 percent.
• Sunday: Winds will shift to the northwest and north at 30 to 45 mph, with potentially damaging gusts up to 65 mph. Humidity values will remain low, ranging from 6 to 15 percent.

These conditions are driven by the passage of both a Pacific and a backdoor cold front. Despite cooling temperatures, the extreme wind speeds and dry air will likely lead to extreme fire behavior and long-range spotting.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect during the following windows:

• Saturday, March 14: From noon until midnight MDT.
• Sunday, March 15: From 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.

What You Should Do

Residents and visitors in the affected areas are urged to take the following precautions:

• Avoid Outdoor Burning: Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged on Saturday and should not be performed on Sunday under any circumstances.
• Exercise Caution: Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and will be extremely difficult to control.
• Stay Informed: Officials and fire crews in the field should be advised of these warnings and remain on high alert.