Some Relief On The Way From The Searing Heat.

Click On The Maps To Enlarge Them.

Today's 12Z/6 AM MDT 500 MB WRF-NAM Forecast Map

Valid At 6 PM MDT Today.

Upper level trough of low pressure is forecast to swing

across Northern New Mexico today. The Upper level ridge

will get nudged to our east today.

Today's 12Z/6 AM MDT 500 MB WRF-NAM Forecast Map

Valid At 3 PM MDT Sat July 2, 2011.

By Saturday the upper level ridge is forecast to located over

the Four Corners Region. With the center of the upper level

ridge shifting off to our north, we should see a afternoon high

temperatures drop down into the 90's for the weekend.

Tropical Storm Arlene.

NHC Forecast Track Of TS Arlene.

Rainbow IR Satellite Image Of TS Arlene At 8:45 AM MDT.

Tropical Storm Arlene was located 45 miles SSE of Tampico,

Mexico at 9:00 AM MDT this morning. Arlene has sustained

winds of 65 mph with gusts to 75 mph. Her central pressure is

994 MB/29.35". Arlene is moving onshore.

Where Is Our Monsoon?

Water Vapor Satellite Image At 9:15 AM MDT This Morning.

A weak monsoonal surge of moisture can be seen streaming

northward out of Mexico into Eastern Arizona, and Western

New Mexico on the Water Vapor Satellite Image above.

This is indicated by the grey and purple shaded area.

The red areas on the map are pockets of dry air.

Remnant moisture from Tropical Storm Arlene is

forecast to remain over Central Mexico today

and tomorrow. Some of this moisture may

get drawn northward into NM by the

weekend. However, a strong influx

of this moisture is not forecast.

NWS HPC Precipitation Outlook.
Valid From 12Z/6 AM MDT This Morning -
12Z/6 AM MDT Tue July 6, 2011.

----------------------------------------------

New Mexico Fires.

Donaldson Fire-

(9:00 AM MDT This Morning)

Burning near Hondo, NM.

43,290 acres have burned.

Five structures have burned.

Little Lewis Fire-
(Update 11:00 AM MDT This Morning)

5% contained.
1,000 - 1,200 acres burned.
2 miles south of Sacramento, in Otero County.

"The following evacuations are in effect:
The Sacramento Methodist Assembly; the communities of Sacramento and Weed; Seep, Agua Chiquita and Ehart Canyon, and Camp of the Tall Pines.
The Evacuation Center is located at: Cloudcroft High School Gym"

Las Conchas Fire-

(10:00 AM MDT This Morning)

3% contained.

Burning near Los Alamos, NM.

Approximately 92, 735 acres burned.

For information on other fires burning

in New Mexico please visit this link-

New Mexico Fire Information.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Tropical Storm Arlene - NM Fires.

Tropical Storm Arlene Strengthens.

Click On The Maps To Enlarge Them.

NHC Forecast Track Of TS Arlene.

IR Rainbow Satellite Image Of TS Arlene At 11:15 AM Today.

IR Satellite Image Of TS Arlene At 8:15 AM MDT This Morning.

As of 9 AM MDT this morning, Tropical Storm Arlene was located near Latitude 21.2 North and Longitude 95.7 West. Arlene is currently towards the west at 8 mph. Maximum sustained winds are now up to 50 mph, with a central pressure of 1000 MB/29.53".

Arlene is forecast to produce 4" - 8" of rainfall over the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Eastern San Luis Potosi, and Eastern Nuevo Leon. Isolated pockets of 15" of rain may fall over the mountainous terrain. These torrential rainfall totals may cause life threatening flashing and mud slides.Tropical Storm Arlene has the potential to strengthen into a Hurricane before making landfall along the Mexican Coast on Thursday.

Whether or not the remnant moisture from Arlene gets pulled northward out of Mexico and into New Mexico by this weekend is the million dollar question. The position of the mid-upper level ridge of high pressure will play a determining role in this.

The US GFS model forecasts the center of the ridge to wobble around the Four Corners region this up coming holiday weekend, and then shifts it further to the west next week. This would keep the Arlene's remnant moisture out of the area, and off to our south and west.

The European (ECMWF) model keeps a broad upper level ridge stretched out from the Desert Southwest to the Mississippi Valley, with one center to our northwest, and one to our east. This would allow some of Arlene's moisture to seep northward into the state this weekend.

----------------------------------------------------

New Mexico Fires.

Update At 4:08 PM MDT-

From Eyewitness News4 KOB TV in Albuquerque, NM-

"The Little Lewis Fire in Otero County has jumped containment lines forcing additional mandatory evacuations.

In addition to the 400 people already evacuated from communities of Sacramento and Weed, authorities ordered the evacuation Wednesday afternoon of the Agua Chiquita, Hay Canyon, Ehart Canyon, and Camp of the Tall Pines areas.

Officials blame lightening for the fire that has so far burned between 500 and 700 acres.

Sacramento and Weed were under a precautionary evacuation order Tuesday night but those living in Sacramento have been urged to leave immediately as the fire threatens several structures.

An evacuation center has been set up at the Cloudcroft Fie Station.

Stay tuned to KOB Eyewitness News 4 and KOB.com for continuing developments."

The Little Lewis Fire -

(8 AM June 29, 2011)

0% containment.

500-700 acres burned.

Burning 2 miles Southwest of Weed, NM in Otero County.

Started by lightning and reported June 28, 2011.

The Donaldson Fire-

(9 AM June 29, 2011)

0% containment.

Estimated 15,000 acres burned.

Burning 6 miles south of Hondo, NM in Lincoln County.

Started by lightning and detected June 28, 2011.

Las Conchas Fire-

(9:30 PM June 28, 2011)

3% containment.

60,741 acres burned.

Burning near Los Alamos, NM.

Incredible Photo Slideshow Of The Las Canchas Fire.

(Courtesy Of The Albuquerque Journal.)

For Other Fires Currently Burning In NM Please Visit This Link-

New Mexico Fire Information.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Las Conchas Fire As Viewed From The International Space Station 6-27-2011..

Click On The Photos To Enlarge Them.

"A crew member aboard the International Space Station, flying at an altitude of approximately 235 statute miles on June 27, 2011, exposed this still photograph of a major fire in the Jemez Mountains of the Santa Fe National Forest in north-central New Mexico near Los Alamos."

Source: NASA

"Another image of the Los Alamos fire from the International Space Station."

Source: NASA

New Mexico's Los Alamos Fire Seen From Space (PHOTOS)

By Gabriel Perna | Jun 28, 2011 08:56 PM EDT

"Once again, NASA was able to capture a natural disaster from outer space thanks to satellite technology.

Over the past decade, NASA has been able to get satellite images of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados and much more. The most recent addition to this collection is a series of photos of the New Mexico and Arizona wallow fires.

Both NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites caught separate images of the New Mexico Las Conchas fire, which has blazed through 61,000 acres of land near Los Alamos, N.M in the north-central part of the state. In addition, the International Space Station caught two non-satellite images of the fire."

Follow Gabriel Perna on Twitter at @GabrielSPerna

----------------------------------------

Las Conchas Fire Update-
( At 9:30 PM MDT Tue Jun 28, 2011)
Near Los Alamos, NM.
60,741 Acres Burned.
3% Contained.

Donaldson Fire Update-
(9 PM MDT Tue June 28, 2011)
South Of Hondo, NM In Lincoln County.
15,000 Acres Burned.
0% Contained.

Little Lewis Fire Update-
(9:00 PM MDT Tue June 28, 2011)
8 Miles South Of Mayhill, NM In Otero County.
150 Acres Burned.
 Residents of Sacramento & Weed Evacuated.
0 % Contained.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Tropical Storm Arlene!

Click On The Maps To Enlarge Them.

Newly Formed Tropical Storm Arlene Forecast. 

IR Satellite Image Of TS Arlene At 5:45 PM MDT.

TS Arlene Forms In The Bay Of  Campeche.

Newly formed Tropical Storm Arlene was located 280 miles ESE of Tampico, Mexico at 6 PM MDT. Arlene has sustained winds of 40 mph with a central pressure of 1003 MB/29.62".

Arlene is moving towards the at 7 mph.Wind shear above the storm is forecast to weaken over the next 24 hours. The only think that may limit Arlene from under going rapid development could be the broad nature of the cyclones circulation. 

All eyes will be monitoring Arlene over the next week to see just how strong she becomes, and what her eventual track will be. This could be important to New Mexico if some of her remnant moisture works its way northward from Mexico, and into the state over the 4th of July holiday weekend and beyond. Watching and waiting.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

More Heat...Watching The Bay Of Campeche.

New Fire In The Sacramento Mtn's

Update At 9:15 PM MDT-

Bad news for Sacramento and Weed...about 250 people from these communities are being evacuated as a precautionary measure due to the Little Lewis Fire.

From Eyewitness News4 KOB In Albuquerque, NM.

----------------------------------

Update At 8:30 PM MDT-

Lightning has started the Little Lewis Fire 8 miles south of Mayhill. 150 acres have burned and the fire is 0% contained. 15-30 homes are threatened as well as the Methodist Church Campground. Slurry drops have slowed but not stopped the spread of the fire.

Pray For Rain!

New Mexico Fire Information.

----------------------------------------------

 New Fire In Lincoln County, NM.

Update At 7:45 PM MDT-

The Donaldson Fire has consumed some 15,000 acres as of early this evening. It is burning south of Hondo, and south of US Hwy 70. The fire is 0% contained and smoke from the fire can be seen in the skies just to the northwest and north of Carlsbad, NM.

Lightning strikes started two new fires in Lincoln County yesterday afternoon on the Donaldson and Skeen Ranches. The fires have burned more than 600 acres, and are 0% contained as of 11:30 AM MDT this morning. For more info on these fires and others currently burning in New Mexico please visit this link.

New Mexico Fire Information.

Still Watching The Tropics!

Click On The Maps To Enlarge Them.

Tropical Outlook Courtesy Of The NHC.

IR Satellite Image At 7:15 AM MDT Today.

A tropical wave moving off of the Yucatan Peninsula, and into the Bay of Campeche today, has a 50% chance of becoming a Tropical Storm withing 48 hours, according to this mornings outlook from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). 

Last Nights 06Z/Midnight MDT WRF-NAM Surface Forecast

Valid At 3 PM MDT Wed Jun 29, 2011.

FSU Hurricane Forecast Model Output.

Outlook Is Courtesy Of The Albuquerque NWS Office.

All eyes will be on the Bay of Campeche today as a tropical wave emerges from the Yucatan Peninsula. There is a fairly decent chance (50%) that this easterly wave will develop into a Tropical Storm within the next 48 hours. The models generally agree that this tropical system will then crawl slowly northward along the eastern Mexican Coastline this week.

 If this storm can remain far enough off shore it will have a better chance of strengthening. Should this storm become strong enough it could be the seasons first named storm (Arlene).

 Its eventual track and strength may have an impact upon New Mexico's weather by next weekend, and possibly the 4th of July holiday. This system could help to jump start our

summer monsoon, as remnant moisture is potentially drawn northward into Mexico and eventually New Mexico.

-------------------------------------------------

Yesterday's Heat - T-Storms.

High temperatures yesterday once again exceed the century mark across SE NM and nearby areas. Highs ranged from 109 at the Carlsbad Airport, 109 at the Paduca Raws near the WIPP Site, 109 at the Jal Climate Station, 108 here at my home, 108 at the Carlsbad Climate Station, 107 at the Caprock Raws, 106 at the Artesia Climate Station, and 104 at the Roswell, Artesia, and Hobbs Airports. 

A weak cold front moved into SE NM late yesterday afternoon, and this feature provided just enough lift and moisture to fire up a few scattered t-storms. A cluster of t-storms formed just east and southeast or Roswell and outflow winds from these storms produced a wind gust to 60 mph at the Roswell Airport along with lots of blowing dust.

A personal weather station located in Clovis (CW3200) measured .54" of rainfall from these storms yesterday.

 Other rainfall totals include-

Cannon AFB Near Clovis .27"

0.4 ESE Cloudcroft .19"

Cloudcroft - Dry Canyon .18"

4.9 NE Cloudcroft .15"

Clovis Municipal Arpt .14"

Roswell Industrial Arpt .10"

Caprock Raws .08"

1.4 ESE Lincoln .03"

8-Mile Draw Raws .02"

3.9 NNW Ruidoso .02"

Mayhill Raws .02"

0.07 N Sunspot .01"

Dog Canyon Raws .01"

Rainfall Totals Are Courtesy Of-

CoCoRaHS

MesoWest Weather

High Temperature Data Is Courtesy Of-

NCDC US Records
Davis WeatherLink
NM MesoWest Weather
NWS El Paso Climate Page
NWS Midland Climate Page
NWS Albuquerque Climate Page
NWS Albuquerque Rosa Reports
NWS Midland Regional Climate Summary

------------------------------------------------------------------

Las Conchas Fire Update-

As of 8:30 AM this morning the Las Conchas Fire has burned 60,470 acres. 

The fire is 0% contained.

""Uploaded by tangkha on Jun 27, 2011

The Las Conchas fire near Los Alamos, Jemez Springs, and Santa Fe New Mexico. These shots were taken from the west and south. The fire started from a spark and grew to over 45,000 acres in less than 24 hours."

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Another Day Of Searing Heat - Las Conchas Fire!

Aerial Video Of The Las Conchas Fire Courtesy Of KRQE News.

Uploaded by zormasdf on Jun 26, 2011

"Visible satellite imagery of the Las Conchas wildfire as it erupts Sunday afternoon June 26th, 2011. Los Alamos & White Rock, New Mexico are both threatened by the fire."

Northern New Mexico Fires! 


Click On The Images To Enlarge Them.

I Captured This GRLevel2-AE (Analyst) Radar Snapshot
From The Albuquerque, NM Radar At 8:56 PM MDT
Last Night. The Smoke Plumes (Blue Shading) From
Both The Las Conchas Fire SW Of Los Alamos, And
The Pacheco Near The Santa Fe Ski Basin, Had
Merged Into One Large Smoke Plume.

This Is A GRLevel2-AE (Analyst) Volume Scan Shot That 
I Captured Last Night At 8:49 PM MDT, Of The Las Conchas
Fire Burning SW Of Los Alamos, NM. This 3-D Image 
Captures The Large Smoke Plume That At Times Extended
Up To Around 30,000' MSL.

This has already been an incredible year in New Mexico. Wildfires have been rampant, the exceptional drought just keeps getting worse with time, and now unrelenting heat. More on the heat below.

Around 1 PM MDT yesterday afternoon, the Las Conchas fire developed about 12 miles southwest of Los Alamos. The fire has exploded to 43, 597 acres as of 9:30 AM this morning. 

For the latest information on this fire please visit this link. Las Conchas Fire Update. Meanwhile, the Pacheco Fire continues to burn about two miles north of the Santa Fe Ski Basin. So far it has consumed 9,334 acres. 

Searing Heat Continues!

High Temps Recorded On Sunday.

West Texas-

Childress Arpt ASOS 117

Pecos Arpt AWOS 114

Grandfalls Climate 113

Wink Arpt ASOS 113

Penwell Climate 113
Lubbock Arpt ASOS 112

Gail Mesonet 112

Midland Intl Arpt ASOS 110

Fort Stockton Arpt ASOS 110

Snyder Arpt AWOS 110

Andrews Mesonet 110

Lamesa Climate 110

Big Springs Arpt AWOS 109

Seminole Mesonet 109

Kermit Climate 109

Chaves County-

8-Mile Draw Raws - NE of Roswell 110

Roswell Arpt ASOS 109

Roswell Climate 107

Dunken Raws 102

Eddy County-

Carlsbad Arpt ASOS 112

(Ties 112 On 6-26-1998)

2nd Day In A Row With Temp Above 110

And The 20th Day This Mo With A High Temp 

Of 100 Or Above.

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad 112

Artesia Climate 110

Artesia Arpt AWOS 108

Hope Climate 108

Caprock Raws 108

Carlsbad Cavers Climate 106

Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns 105

Queen Raws 101

Lea County-

Paduca Raws - Near WIPP 113

Jal Climate 110

(Pvs Record 109 6-26-1998)

Tatum Climate 108

(Pvs Record 107 On 6-26-1994)

Hobbs Climate 108

Hobbs Arpt 108

NW Hobbs - KM5BS 107

Crossroads Raws 105

Lincoln County-

Downtown Ruidoso 95

Smokey Bear Raws - Near Ruidoso 92

Sierra Blanca Regional Arpt AWOS 91

Otero County-

Weed - Dark Ridge Observatory 99

Mayhill Raws 96

Timberon CW7724 93

Mescal Raws - Near Mescalero 93

Cosmic Raws - Sunspot 88

Cloudcroft - Dry Canyon 87

Cloudcroft Climate 86

Culberson County-

Guadalupe Pass ASOS 105
McKittrick Canyon Raws 104

Pinery Raws - Pine Springs 100

Dog Canyon Raws 97

High Temperature Data Is Courtesy Of-

NCDC US Records
Davis WeatherLink
NM MesoWest Weather
NWS El Paso Climate Page
NWS Midland Climate Page
NWS Albuquerque Climate Page
NWS Albuquerque Rosa Reports
NWS Midland Regional Climate Summary

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!