Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Highlands and Plains of New Mexico
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Northeast New Mexico through Tuesday evening, citing dangerous fire conditions driven by high winds and low humidity.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Northeast Highlands and Plains, New Mexico
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Albuquerque
Fire-weather notices describe conditions that can support rapid fire spread; they do not report that a fire is present. Check local emergency sources for any active incident.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northeast Highlands and Plains, New Mexico.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Northeast Highlands, Northeast Plains, and East-Central Plains. This alert is triggered by a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity, which creates a high risk for critical fire weather conditions. This warning replaces the previous Fire Weather Watch.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically impacts the Northeast Highlands (Zone 123), the Northeast Plains, and the East-Central Plains of New Mexico.
What You Should Do
Residents are strongly advised that outdoor burning is not recommended during this period. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly due to the prevailing conditions. Local officials and fire crews in the field should be notified of the warning to ensure readiness.
Expected Conditions
A storm system approaching from the west will bring significant wind speeds and dry air to the region, impacting fine fuels:
- Monday Afternoon: Southwest winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts reaching up to 40 mph. Relative humidity values will drop to between 10% and 15%.
- Tuesday Afternoon and Evening: Southwest to west winds will increase to 30 to 40 mph, with peak gusts ranging from 55 to 70 mph. Relative humidity values are expected to be between 15% and 20%.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is effective during the following windows:
- Monday, February 16: From 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM MST.
- Tuesday, February 17: From 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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