Routine Fire Wx Fcst (With/Without 6-10 Day Outlook)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
867
FNUS54 KEPZ 181112
FWFEPZ
Fire Weather Planning Forecast for New Mexico and Far West Texas
National Weather Service El Paso TX/Santa Teresa NM
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.DISCUSSION...
Rain chances over the next five days will be pretty much limited
to area mountains. At the same time high temperatures will creep 5
to 8 degrees above average. Min RH`s today will be at or above 20%
across the area, but for Wednesday through the weekend we will
have min RH`s in the low to mid teens in the lowlands and in the
20`s in area mountains. Winds this week will stay well below
critical levels. Ventilation rates will be good over the next
couple of days.
&&
...Percentages shown in the sky/weather portion reflect
sky cover amount...
...Mean elevations used to obtain mixing heights as follows:
Zone 110 - Reserve (5900 ft)
Zone 111 - Deming (4300 ft)
Zone 112 - Las Cruces(3900 ft)
Zone 113 - Ruidoso (6900 ft)
Ventilation categories are determined by criteria established
by the state of New Mexico.
NMZ110-182115-
Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent) until 1100, then
partly cloudy (35-45 percent). Slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms after 1100.
* Max temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....76-81.
* Below 7500 ft....85-90.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Min humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....28-33 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....24-29 percent.
* 24 hr trend......7 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 9 mph.
* Chance of thunder...10 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
* Mixing height.......5000 ft AGL increasing to 10500 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (74900 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy (35-45 percent). Slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms in the evening.
* Min temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....55-59.
* Below 7500 ft....61-66.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Max humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....62-67 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....57-62 percent.
* 24 hr trend......9 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southwest winds around 5 mph shifting to the
west after midnight.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southwest 10 mph.
* Chance of thunder...10 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent) then becoming
partly cloudy (40-50 percent). Chance of
showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
* Max temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....79-84.
* Below 7500 ft....89-94.
* Min humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....24-29 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....20-25 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......Northwest winds around 5 mph shifting to the
west in the afternoon.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..North 8 mph.
* Chance of thunder...40 percent.
* Chc of precip.......40 percent.
* Mixing height.......5700 ft AGL increasing to 12300 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (75700 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows
60 to 65. Highs 87 to 92. Northeast winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 60 to 65. Highs 86 to 91. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 60 to 65. Highs 85 to 90. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
$$
NMZ111-182115-
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent).
* Max temperature.....91-96.
* 24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
* Min humidity........19-23 percent.
* 24 hr trend......5 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......East winds 5 to 10 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 10 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......4300 ft AGL increasing to 11200 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....East around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Very good (101600 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly clear (20-30 percent).
* Min temperature.....67-71.
* 24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
* Max humidity........51-56 percent.
* 24 hr trend......5 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph shifting to the
southwest after midnight.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 7 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (25-35 percent).
* Max temperature.....95-100.
* Min humidity........14-18 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......Southwest winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Northeast 6 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
* Mixing height.......4400 ft AGL increasing to 13000 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Northwest around 5 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (70500 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 97 to 102.
Northwest winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 96 to 101. East winds
around 5 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 96 to 101. East
winds 5 to 10 mph.
$$
NMZ112-182115-
South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent).
* Max temperature.....91-96.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Min humidity........18-22 percent.
* 24 hr trend......6 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 9 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......4600 ft AGL increasing to 10400 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....South around 5 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (65900 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly clear (20-30 percent).
* Min temperature.....67-71.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Max humidity........45-50 percent.
* 24 hr trend......15 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......South winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..South 10 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (25-35 percent).
* Max temperature.....96-101.
* Min humidity........14-16 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......South winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..North 10 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
* Mixing height.......4200 ft AGL increasing to 13500 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....East around 5 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (81500 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows near 70. Highs 97 to 102. East winds around
5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 96 to 101. East winds
around 5 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 95 to 100.
Southeast winds around 5 mph.
$$
NMZ113-182115-
Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln NF/LNZ-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (25-35 percent).
* Max temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....75-80.
* Below 7500 ft....85-90.
* 24 hr trend......4 degrees warmer.
* Min humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....34-39 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....22-27 percent.
* 24 hr trend......5 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southwest winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southwest 9 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
* Mixing height.......6300 ft AGL increasing to 11100 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Southwest around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (69100 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly clear (20-30 percent).
* Min temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....53-58.
* Below 7500 ft....62-67.
* 24 hr trend......3 degrees warmer.
* Max humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....62-67 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....48-53 percent.
* 24 hr trend......17 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southwest 14 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......10 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent) then becoming
partly cloudy (35-45 percent). Slight chance
of showers and thunderstorms in the
afternoon.
* Max temperature.....
* Above 7500 ft....78-83.
* Below 7500 ft....88-93.
* Min humidity........
* Above 7500 ft....27-32 percent.
* Below 7500 ft....18-23 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......West winds 5 to 10 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..North 13 mph.
* Chance of thunder...20 percent.
* Chc of precip.......30 percent.
* Mixing height.......6900 ft AGL increasing to 13000 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Northwest around 15 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (83400 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy with chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows 61 to 66. Highs 86 to 91. East winds around
5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 60 to 65. Highs 85 to 90. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows 59 to 64. Highs 85 to 90. South winds around
5 mph.
$$
TXZ055-182115-
Texas Fire Weather Zone 055
El Paso County-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (10-20 percent).
* Max temperature.....93-97.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Min humidity........20-22 percent.
* 24 hr trend......7 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 8 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......3700 ft AGL increasing to 10800 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (63600 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly clear (15-25 percent).
* Min temperature.....71-73.
* 24 hr trend......Unchanged.
* Max humidity........45-49 percent.
* 24 hr trend......13 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..South 6 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (10-20 percent).
* Max temperature.....97-101.
* Min humidity........14-16 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......South winds around 5 mph shifting to the
southwest in the afternoon.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..North 6 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......3600 ft AGL increasing to 12600 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Southeast around 5 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (74700 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower to mid 70s. Highs
99 to 103. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 70s. Highs 98 to 102.
East winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Clear. Lows in the mid 70s. Highs 97 to 101.
Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
$$
TXZ056-182115-
Texas Fire Weather Zone 056
Hudspeth County-
512 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent).
* Max temperature.....92-97.
* 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
* Min humidity........17-21 percent.
* 24 hr trend......8 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 9 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......3900 ft AGL increasing to 10600 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (60200 knot-ft).
.TONIGHT...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly clear (20-30 percent).
* Min temperature.....67-71.
* 24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
* Max humidity........47-52 percent.
* 24 hr trend......16 percent drier.
* 20-foot winds.......Southeast winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..Southeast 7 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
* Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (15-25 percent).
* Max temperature.....95-100.
* Min humidity........14-16 percent.
* 20-foot winds.......Southwest winds around 5 mph.
* 10000 ft MSL winds..North 9 mph.
* Chance of thunder...0 percent.
* Chc of precip.......0 percent.
* Mixing height.......4300 ft AGL increasing to 12800 ft AGL in the
afternoon.
* Transport winds.....East around 10 knots.
* Vent category.......Good (70100 knot-ft).
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Lows near 70. Highs 96 to 101. East
winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows 69 to 74. Highs 95 to 100. East
winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Clear. Lows 68 to 73. Highs 95 to 100. Southeast
winds 5 to 10 mph.
$$