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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Issued by NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
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455 FXUS64 KMAF 121626 AAA AFDMAF Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 1026 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 ...New UPDATE... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1018 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 - High winds are expected in the Eddy County Plains, Guadalupe/Delaware Mountains, and Eastern Culberson County until this evening. - Fog and drizzle stick around this morning for areas east of the mountains, but should begin eroding before noon. - Elevated to critical fire weather conditions for southeastern New Mexico, Loving County, and areas west of the Pecos River in west Texas today. && .UPDATE... Issued at 1018 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 Dense fog has lifted across the region, therefore, the Dense Fog Advisory has been cancelled. Some lower visibilities due to mist (2-5 miles) are still prevalent across some areas of the northern Permian Basin. These lower visibilities should subside by 11AM-12 PM CST. Lamberson && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Thursday afternoon) Issued at 245 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 WV imagery this morning shows the upper trough entering far west Texas, putting West Texas and Southeast New Mexico under southwest flow aloft. Surface obs and mesoanalysis indicate high winds have not yet developed in the Guadalupes, but models still suggest a high wind event beginning sometime later today. High clouds may play a little hob w/mixing, but high winds still look possible, especially this afternoon, w/the usual helping of BLDU. We`ve also issued a Wind Advisory for adjacent areas to the warning. Everything east of the mountains is currently socked in with stratus, fog, and drizzle, but this should begin eroding W-E as increasing westerlies advect drier air into the region later today. As the upper trough moves through today, downslope warming and clearing skies should result in a big warmup over yesterday in the northeast zones. The southwest CWA will be a few degrees cooler but, on average, highs should top out near normal. Unfortunately, these pleasant temperatures will be brief, as a cold front drops in overnight behind the exiting trough. Models have been pretty consistent in bringing a hard freeze to areas along/east of the Pecos, and temperatures in the northeast will be bumping up against advisory criteria Thursday morning. Models even develop patchy drizzle in upslope flow from the Guadalupes to the Davis Mountains Thursday morning. Thursday looks cloudy, windy, and cold behind the front, but dry after the aforementioned patchy drizzle in the morning. Highs will top out ~ 15 F below normal, especially northeast. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 245 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 The long term begins with a chilly start to the Friday morning commute, with lows ranging from the upper 20s to upper 30s for most. Some spots near and along the Rio Grande are forecast to see lows in the low 40s. However, higher geopotential thickness associated with mid- level ridging and southerly to southwesterly winds at the surface allow for high temperatures to climb 5-10 degrees above normal Friday. Most of Lea County New Mexico and the Permian Basin are expected to see highs in the low to mid 60s. Places such as Eddy County New Mexico, the Trans Pecos, and Presidio Valley are to see temperatures in the 70s. A broad mid- level trough develops over the Baja California region Friday, and invades southeast New Mexico/west Texas late Friday evening into Saturday morning. Tighter pressure gradients due to the aforementioned trough will likely increase winds across the area, especially in the Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains. Current ensemble and deterministic guidance suggests the possibility of winds strengthening in the mountains and overspreading the whole CWA Saturday afternoon during peak daytime mixing. High wind products may be warranted to account for these higher winds in future forecast packages. Temperatures remain mild Saturday with strong westerly downsloping flow. However, highs will be a little cooler than Friday`s as a cold front begins to make its way through the area Saturday afternoon. Sunday night`s lows drop into the 20s over the Permian Basin and southeastern New Mexico behind the cold front. The Trans Pecos could see readings in the low to mid 30s, while overnight lows in the upper 30s to low 40s are expected further south. Cool temperatures stick around Sunday in the post-frontal airmass, with highs in the 50s for most. Temperatures over the northeastern Permian Basin may struggle to hit 50F and spots near/along the Rio Grande could still see highs in the 60s. Mid-level zonal flow returns to the area on Monday, boosting temperatures above normal again. Highs in the 60s may be felt from Lea County in southeastern New Mexico, to the Permian Basin and Lower Trans Pecos. Eddy County New Mexico, the Trans Pecos and locations further south are currently anticipated to see temperature readings in the 70s. Another cold front begins to move through northern sections of the CWA Tuesday afternoon, once again dropping temperatures drastically Tuesday night into Wednesday. -Greening && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 436 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 LIFR conditions will persist most terminals for a few hours this morning, before surface winds shift to west and increase, scattering cigs to VFR by 18Z everywhere. Plenty of high cloud will persist through the duration of the forecast, however. A cold front will move through the terminals after sundown. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 245 AM CST Wed Feb 12 2025 Elevated to critical fire weather conditions will return across areas along and west of the Pecos River in southeast New Mexico, west Texas, and southwest Texas this afternoon. Minimum relative humidity values are forecast to range as low as 7 to 15 percent across much of west and southwest Texas on today afternoon. Breezy southwesterly 20-ft winds of up to 20 to 35 mph with higher gusts over these areas this afternoon. A Fire Danger Statement was issued this morning to account for these parameters. Didn`t go Red Flag Warning since fuel moistures and ERC values look good. Conditions are currently expected to improve Thursday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 65 21 43 32 / 0 10 0 0 Carlsbad 62 30 49 31 / 0 10 10 0 Dryden 77 37 51 38 / 0 0 0 0 Fort Stockton 70 34 53 37 / 0 10 10 0 Guadalupe Pass 54 34 48 36 / 0 0 10 0 Hobbs 60 20 47 29 / 0 10 0 0 Marfa 63 41 60 34 / 0 0 10 0 Midland Intl Airport 65 23 46 33 / 0 10 0 0 Odessa 64 24 47 34 / 0 10 10 0 Wink 67 28 49 34 / 0 10 10 0 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...High Wind Warning until 9 PM CST /8 PM MST/ this evening for Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains. Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for Eastern Culberson- Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor. NM...High Wind Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. Wind Advisory until 8 PM MST this evening for Eddy County Plains. && $$ SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....55 AVIATION...44