The extended dry period continues, as it has now been twenty-five days now since we last had any measurable precipitation, and only 0.01” of precipitation has been received in the last thirty-five days. Temperatures stayed above average the entire week and there was little to no wind, causing it to feel more like early spring or fall instead of the beginning of winter. In fact, on the winter solstice, temperatures were 8.5 degrees above average, higher than any day this past week. For the week, as noted, this station once again received no measurable precipitation. For the 2025 WYTD, this station is still at 1.80” against the NOAA normal of 2.97”, which is 61% of normal. As we get close to finishing the 2024 calendar year, we have received 10.97” of precipitation against against the NOAA normal of 13.95”, which is 79% of normal. Overall, temperatures averaged 6.1 degrees above average for the last week, as temperatures were as much as 4.2 degrees above normal early in the week and reached the before mentioned 8.5 degrees above normal on Saturday. Soil moisture has continued to dry out at a fast pace, with the lack of moisture, warm temperatures, and lower humidity and dew point values. Forecasts call for warm temperatures to continue through tomorrow and then a low pressure system that is currently moving into the Four Corners area to push into the state for Christmas Day bringing the a good chance for snow to the higher elevations and a rain/snow mix for the lower elevations, including the Middle Rio Grande Valley and Albuquerque metro area. The storm system should push out of the area by Thursday, with temperatures slightly rebounding, and then another weaker system moving in on Thursday night into Friday bringing another round of a rain/snow mix before temperatures start warming up into the weekend. Short-term we are still in the moderately dry category as the lack of moisture since the beginning of November is having a significant impact on not just the landscape but on snowpack values and ski resorts. Long-term we are still in the mildly dry category based on overall precipitation received going further back. Energy usage was down significantly last week as compared to the previous week, as the warmer, more stable temperatures caused heater usage to be down over the last week. Air quality was in the moderate range for the first part of last week. Air quality has been in the unhealthy range for sensitive populations since Friday. The lack of moisture coupled with the lack of any significant winds has allowed the dust, pollen, and smog to settle into the Middle Rio Grande Valley, not only during the overnight hours but throughout the daytime hours as well. The primary pollutants were fine and coarse particulate matter. Juniper pollen was the primary allergy concern on the east side once again at low levels. The Forest Service has raised the fire danger level to the moderate for all Ranger Districts of the Cibola National Forest. Albuquerque open space areas currently are still open and are under stage 2 fire restrictions in the bosque areas. East Mountain Open Space areas are open and are also under stage 2 fire restrictions as well. Most plants have gone into their dormant stage for the winter. Xeriscape plants received some supplemental water over the weekend due to the lack of long-term moisture and signs of drying out. Trees are also needing supplemental watering due to the lack of moisture and warmer temperatures. Bird activity has picked back up again off over the last week with the more moderate temperatures and calm weather. Rio Grande river flow at the Alameda bridge is at 1,000 cf/s today, which is above sea normal for this day of the year. The flow had been been steady around 550 cf/s until Friday, when it rapidly increased to its current level over about a 24-hour period. Turbidity is at 54.3 FNU today. Turbidity has been sporadic throughout the week. SNOTEL values for the Rio Grande Headwaters and Upper Rio Grande Basin are at 90% and 44% respectively of median today. The San Juan River Basin and the Rio Chama are at 83% and 52% respectively of median today. The Jemez River Basin is at 41% of median today. Snow melt continued to have an impact across all the basins over the last week due to the continued warmer than average temperatures. Northern ski areas are reporting no new snow received over the last 72 hours as high pressure has been locked in over the state for the last week. Most resorts are using snow making guns overnight and are reporting early season conditions with possible thin spots. Check resort websites for conditions and trail access. Aquifer monitoring data for the Middle Rio Grande Basin shows a slight downward tick in the aquifer level at the wells that were reported.