New Mexico Highway 528 motorists drive south into a potential storm Monday afternoon. Matt Hollinshead/Observer
Rio Rancho residents can expect a wet and cool start to their week.
The city could get anywhere between one-tenth of an inch and a quarter-inch of rain before it turns into snow at about midnight Tuesday. About an inch of the white stuff could fall, said Raymond Jola, National Weather Service of Albuquerque meteorologist.
The city has only received .04 inches of precipitation through the first few weeks of the month. All of it came on March 8, when a half-inch of snow fell. The 0.04 inches of precipitation is about 82% less than normal for the month. The typical amount seen in March is 0.22 inches.
February was a much wetter month. The city received 0.42 inches of precipitation, which was much closer to that month’s normal count of 0.46 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The city can also expect some cooler temps along with the precipitation.
Highs reached the upper 40s on Monday and will drop to 31 degrees at night. Tuesday is only supposed to get up to near 50 degrees during the day before dipping to 27 degrees overnight.
After Tuesday, the sun and warmer temperatures will return. Highs for Wednesday will be in the mid-50s before climbing into the mid-60s Thursday, then the low to mid-70s on Friday and the weekend.
