Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Meteorologist: Highs in low 50s to 70s this week.
The unseasonably warm winter weather will continue through the week but cooler temperatures and precipitation can be expected, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
Monday’s high of 83 degrees broke the previous record high of 80 degrees set back in 1940 said Todd Shoemake, NWS meteorologist.
Shoemake said Monday’s warm high was just the beginning of a roller coaster of temperatures that will be experienced in the area. He said the normal high temperatures for this time of year would be in the low to mid 50s. There will be highs on Tuesday and Thursday in the 50s but on Wednesday and Friday there will be highs of mid 60s to low 70s Shoemake added.
Shoemake said there was no snowfall reported during November, the same in 2016. He said the normal for this time of year is 1.7 inches, the last snow reported in November in Tucumcari was 1.5 inches in 2015.
Shoemake said the NWS forecast model shows a pattern shift near this weekend, bringing cooler temperature and above normal precipitation chances to the area.
“I’d like to see some kind of moisture move into the area,” said Franklin McCasland, director Arch Hurley Conservancy District.
McCasland said even with no recent precipitation there is inflow pouring into Conchas Lake. He said the inflow at this time of year is unseasonably odd.
“I’m not sure if its still from the fall rains that possibly saturated the aquifer but the elevation at Conchas continues to rise,” McCasland said.
McCasland said the unusually high temperatures have had one bonus — better weather conditions to do maintenance on the irrigation ditches. He said the water was shut off on Oct. 31, the warm conditions have been nice for the crews doing concrete work and putting down Bentonite to help slow, stop water loss from seepage along the ditches.