ALBUQUERQUE – The irrigation canals are all but dry as farmers along the Rio Grande set in for winter, holding out hope that the El Niño weather system will develop and save them from what could otherwise be another dry start to the next growing season.
The irrigation district that serves farmers in southern New Mexico already has issued a warning that next year’s allotment could be as little as a few inches (10 centimeters) of water.
While there has been a slight uptick since then, that marked the lowest level since the early 1970s.
National climate experts have been watching and waiting, but El Niño continues to tease, leaving New Mexico and the rest of the American Southwest to hang on longer until the weather pattern develops and brings more moisture to the drought-stricken region.
King is not optimistic about the development of a wetter-than-average weather pattern for southern New Mexico.
The region has endured 16 years of drought and it looks as if 2019 will continue to bring further challenges with low water supplies, he said.
(Photo: Susan Montoya Bryan/AP) The Rio Grande marked several record-low flows this year, prompting federal officials to partner with the largest water utility authority in the state and others to keep the river flowing at least through the Albuquerque stretch.
Predictions include a higher probability that temperatures could be warmer than normal through February.
Eastern New Mexico is bracing for wind and high temperatures on Friday, a combination that forecasters say could result in critical fire weather conditions.
They say afternoon highs could soar up to 20 degrees above normal.