Severe Thunderstorm Threat Over The Eastern U.S., Critical Fire Weather Likely Over The Southwest

A cold front will bring the threat for scattered strong to severe thunderstorms from the Mid Atlantic to New England into Saturday morning. Some of the storms could produce damaging winds and locally heavy rainfall. Dangerously hot and dry conditions will persist over the Desert Southwest this weekend. Critical fire weather conditions likely. Read More >

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100° Facts for Albuquerque and Other New Mexico Locations

Most summers see heat waves in one or more parts of the United States, including New Mexico. Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year and even more heat-related illnesses. While hot temperatures can occur anytime from spring to fall in New Mexico, the months of June and July can be particularly brutal when it comes to heat. For heat-related resources and safety tips visit the National Weather Service Weather-Ready Nation heat safety website.

Temperatures easily climb to 100 or higher over the east central and southeast plains during the summer months, however, maximum temperatures reach the 100 degree or more threshold less often in Albuquerque. For other sites across central and southern New Mexico, maximum summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees every year. Across portions of northern New Mexico, and the high terrain statewide, temperatures remain below 100 degrees. One hundred degree data for sites around New Mexico are listed in the table at the end of this feature.

The graph below depicts the number of days with a maximum temperature of 100 degrees (F) or more for the period 1939 through 2016. Temperatures remained below 100 degrees in 30 years during this period. In 1980, the temperature reached at least 100 degrees on 28 days!

graph of 100 degree max temp days in ABQ by year

It is interesting to note that while we have documented an increase in temperatures in recent years, there had not been a corresponding increase in days over 100 degrees. Minimum temperatures have increased more than maximum temperatures, and when we look at the frequency of minimum temperatures greater than 70 degrees, an increase in recent years is evident, and reflects conditions documented in the drought years of the 1950s.

graph of number of days with min temps at least 70 degrees by year at ABQ

100° Days at the Albuquerque Sunport Since 1990

The number of days with a maximum temperature of at least 100 degrees at the Albuquerque Sunport since 1990 are listed in the table below, along with the highest summer temperature recorded at the Sunport. For those interested in 100 degree facts for other cities across the state, annual average statistics for 14 additional sites are listed at the end of this feature.

Year	June	July	August	Annual	Hottest Days
1990	9	0	0	9	104 on 6/25 & 6/29
1991	2	0	0	2	101 on 6/25
1992	0	2	0	2	100 on 7/5 & 7/6
1993	2	2	0	4	100 on 6/27, 6/28, 7/2 & 7/7
1994	7	3	2	12	107* on 6/26 (ABQ record high)
1995	0	5	0	5	103 on 7/27 & 7/28
1996	1	0	0	1	100 on 6/21
1997	0	0	0	0	98 on 6/30 & 7/2
1998	3	0	0	3	102 on 6/29
1999	1	1	0	2	100 on 6/30 & 7/1
2000	0	0	0	0	99 on 6/15
2001	0	0	0	0	98 on 7/1
2002	1	2	0	3	101 on 7/1
2003	0	8	0	8	104 on 7/14
2004	0	0	0	0	97 on 7/21
2005	0	0	0	0	99 on 7/11 and 7/19
2006	0	0	0	0	98 on 6/5, 6/19, & 7/14
2007	0	1	0	1	100 on 7/3
2008	0	0	0	0	97 on 6/17 & 18, 7/31 & 8/1
2009	0	1	0	1	100 on 7/19
2010	2	3	0	5	102 on 7/20
2011	2	0	0	2	100 on 6/24 and 6/26
2012	2	0	0	2	101 on 6/30
2013	2	0	0	2	105 on 6/27
2014	1	1	0	2	100 on 6/30 and 7/26
2015	2	0	0	2	102 on 6/22
2016	2	3	0	5	103 on 6/19
2017	5	0	0	5	103 on 6/22
2018	2	1	0	3	100 on 6/22, 6/27, and 7/22
2019	0	2		2	100 on 7/19 and 7/20

Variability Across Albuquerque

Depending on the location across the Albuquerque Metro Area, the number of days for which the temperature reaches at least 100 degrees varies. In the table below, 100 degree statistics for two cooperative stations around Albuquerque (Corrales and Foothills) are compared to those for the Albuquerque Sunport for the period 1992 - 2017. 100 degree days occur much less frequently in the higher elevations of the Foothills, and more often in the Valley (*brief periods of missing data have been noted during this time at Corrales and the Foothills).

Number of 100 Degree Days 1992-2019
Location	May	June	July	August	Total
Albuquerque Sunport	0	35	34	2	71
Corrales*	3	36	44	4	87
Albuquerque Foothills*	0	4	5	0	9

100° Facts for the Albuquerque Area

For the historical period 1897-2017*, the mercury has reached at least 100 degrees in 60 of those 121 years, or 50 percent of the years
At the Sunport, 1939-2017, the mercury has reached at least 100 degrees in 49 of 79 years, or 62 percent of the years

Since 1939, the mercury reached at least 100 degrees 245 times, for an average of 2 to 3 times a year
The hottest temperature ever recorded was 107 degrees, June 26, 1994
The greatest number of consecutive 100 degree days was nine (June 22-30, 1980)
The earliest date 100 degrees or higher was reached in any year was June 5, 2010 (max of 100 degrees)
The latest date 100 degrees or higher was reached in any year was September 5, 1979 (max of 100 degrees)
Average number of days between the first and last occurrence of 100+ degrees is 13 days
Highest frequency of 100+ maximum temperatures occurs between June 21st and July 2nd. Since 1939, 100+ temperatures have been observed 95 times during that 12 day period. The temperature reached at least 100 degrees the most often on June 28th (13 occurrences). The average date for the first 100+ day is June 29th, and the average date for the last 100+ day is July 14th.

*Note that historical weather records for Albuquerque are based on data collected from a number of sites. The official weather station has been on the grounds of what is now the Albuquerque International Airport (elev. 5313') since 1939. Prior to that, in 1892, the official station was at the intersection of 4th and Gold streets (elev. 4950'), the University of New Mexico from 1893-1910, and again from 1918-1931 (elev. 5150'). Records were kept at the Kimo Theatre (elev. 4960') from 1931-33, and at the TWA Airport from 1933-1938. A map of reporting stations illustrates various historical reporting locations across the Albuquerque metro area.

Average Number of Day Reaching 100° and Maximum Number of Occurrences

Site	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Ave/Year	Max Days in a Year	Period of Record
Farmington Ag Sci	0	0	1	0	0	1	9 in 2003	1978-present
Clayton	0	< 1	< 1	0	0	1	9 in 2012,2016	1909-present
Las Vegas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1948-present
Los Lunas	0	3	3	1	0	7	29 in 2003,2016	1957-present
Socorro	0	3	3	1	0	7	38 in 1934	1931-present
Ruidoso	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1948-present
Roswell	1	6	4	2	0	13	60 in 2011	1949-present
Clovis 13N	0	2	1	0	0	3	58 in 1943	1911-present
Hobbs	1	5	4	3	0	13	54 in 1998	1913-present
Glenwood	0	2	2	0	0	4	18 in 2003	1948-present
Carlsbad	1	8	7	5	1	22	77 in 1934	1948-present
Santa Fe COOP	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1972-Present
T or C	0	4	3	0	0	7	23 in 1980	1951-present
Tucumcari 4NE	0	4	4	2	0	10	40 in 1980	1904-present

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Severe Thunderstorm Threat Over The Eastern U.S., Critical Fire Weather Likely Over The Southwest

100° Facts for Albuquerque and New Mexico

Average Number of Day Reaching 100° and Maximum Number of Occurrences