901 FXUS64 KMAF 281138 AFDMAFArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 638 AM CDT Sun Sep 28 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 633 AM CDT Sun Sep 28 2025
- Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon and evening across locations west of the Pecos River.
- Showers and storms could produce heavy rainfall, which may lead to instances of flash flooding over portions of southeast New Mexico, the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains, Van Horn Corridor, and Marfa Plateau, especially during the afternoon and evening hours.
- A warmer and drier pattern sets up next week.
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.SHORT TERM... (Today through Monday afternoon) Issued at 345 AM CDT Sun Sep 28 2025
An upper-level low that has moved little over the vicinity of southern California during the past 24 hours is forecast to open into a trough today and slowly advance toward the Four Corners today and tonight. Southwesterly flow aloft will increase across western portions of our forecast area in advance of this system today, with the flow pattern also becoming increasingly difluent over these locations this afternoon into this evening. A very moist airmass will remain in place across locations west of the Pecos River Valley with precipitable water values up to 1.1 to 1.3 inches. Ascent will also spread over these areas within the increasingly difluent flow aloft this afternoon and evening, and we expect scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms to develop especially along and west of an Artesia, Carlsbad, Balmorhea, Alpine/Marfa line by this afternoon and evening, and we will keep rain chances very high between 50-80 percent over these areas. A few of the CAMs, including the 00z/06z HRRR and the 00z ARW have been consistently showing potential for heavy rainfall producing storms over western portions of the forecast area this afternoon and evening considering the anomalously moist PWAT airmass that is in place. Showers and thunderstorms will have the potential to be efficient rainfall producers, potentially dropping around or just above 1" of rainfall in some areas within a short amount of time which could lead to flash flooding. We have opted to issue a Flood Watch for the Eddy County NM plains (the western half of this zone in particular), the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains, Van Horn Corridor/Culberson County, and the Marfa Plateau region this afternoon where pockets of very heavy rainfall will be possible with showers/storms this afternoon and evening. A few storms may be capable of producing strong/gusty winds, small hail, and frequent lightning strikes. Rain chances decrease considerably over central/eastern portions of the forecast area today and tonight. Will keep lower rain chances (20-30%) intact as far east as the far western Permian Basin, Upper Trans Pecos region, and the Big Bend, while dry conditions are anticipated over the central/eastern Basin and Lower Trans Pecos. Rain chances should drop off by late tonight, though we will keep low POPs (20-30 percent) in place through the night over western portions of the area ahead of the approaching upper-level trough.
The upper-level trough axis will lift across southeast New Mexico and much of west Texas during the day Monday. Residual moisture and lift associated with this system will support keeping a continued low (20-40 percent) chance of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast for the western half of the area, while the Permian Basin and Lower Trans Pecos looks to remain dry for the most part (POPs 10 percent or less). Highs today and Monday will be coolest over western portions of the CWA, where readings will range in the 70s (60s higher elevations) given the extensive cloud cover/rain chances. Highs over the remainder of the area will mostly range in the 80s, except for 90s along the Rio Grande.
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.LONG TERM... (Monday night through Saturday) Issued at 345 AM CDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Rain chances come to an end by Monday night as the upper-level trough moves to the east of our region. Upper-level ridging will build back into the forecast area through the rest of the upcoming week, so expect a warming trend with a return to dry weather conditions Tuesday through Friday. Temperatures will average above normal each day, especially during the middle to latter part of the week when highs reach into the upper 80s to lower 90s over much of the area.
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.AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 638 AM CDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Primary aviation concern today will be in and near scattered to numerous SHRA/TSRA that will develop across locations especially along and west of the Pecos River today and tonight. The best chance for convective impact will be at KCNM, where we have included prevailing SHRA at 21Z with confidence also increasing for TSRA impact sometime around the late afternoon/early evening time frame. Included TSRA TEMPO there from 22Z to 02Z with this forecast. VFR otherwise prevails outside of this activity through the period with persistent south to southeast winds.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 86 62 82 58 / 0 0 0 0 Carlsbad 77 61 80 57 / 50 40 30 0 Dryden 89 65 86 61 / 0 10 0 0 Fort Stockton 87 65 83 59 / 10 10 10 0 Guadalupe Pass 68 57 71 56 / 80 50 30 0 Hobbs 81 61 79 56 / 20 20 20 0 Marfa 77 56 76 50 / 50 50 30 0 Midland Intl Airport 87 65 83 60 / 0 0 10 0 Odessa 86 65 82 60 / 10 10 10 0 Wink 86 63 83 58 / 20 20 20 0
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.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...Flood Watch from 1 PM CDT /noon MDT/ this afternoon through late tonight for Chinati Mountains-Davis Mountains-Davis Mountains Foothills-Eastern Culberson-Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-Marfa Plateau-Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor.
NM...Flood Watch from noon MDT today through this evening for Eddy County Plains-Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County.
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SHORT TERM...21 LONG TERM....21 AVIATION...21
NWS MAF Office Area Forecast Discussion