Temperatures Soar Above Average for St. Patrick's Day

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After a brief respite on St. Urho's Day, temperatures in Albuquerque and across the Southwest are set to surge well above average again for St. Patrick's Day, with the city potentially reaching just shy of its warmest March 17 on record.

Why it matters

The unseasonably warm weather is being driven by a strong high-pressure system over the region, which could bring record-breaking heat to parts of the Southwest in the coming days and weeks. This is concerning as it may be an early sign of the effects of climate change on seasonal weather patterns.

The details

Albuquerque is forecast to reach a high of 78 degrees on St. Patrick's Day, just two degrees shy of the warmest March 17 on record set in 1974. Other parts of the Southwest, like Phoenix, are expected to see even hotter temperatures in the 100s over the next week.

• On Monday, high temperatures in some places didn't even reach the 40s.
• On Tuesday (St. Patrick's Day), highs are forecast to be in the 70s at a minimum across the region.
• The warm temperatures are being driven by a strong upper-level high-pressure system over the Southwest.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Meteorologists will continue to monitor the high-pressure system and its potential impacts on temperatures across the region in the coming days and weeks.