A freeze watch has been issued for parts of West Texas and Southern New Mexico.
A drop in temperatures is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 29-30, as a cold front pushes across the region, bringing windy conditions with gusts of up to 15 miles per hour. While El Paso should stay well above freezing, other nearby areas, like Sierra Blanca, Oro Grande and Hatch, could drop below 32 degrees by Thursday morning.
El Pasoans will wake up to a low of 40 degrees on Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
A freeze watch is issued when freezing temperatures are possible in the next 24-36 hours.
The cold snap will be short lived, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures will rise above normal by Halloween.
When does El Paso experience its first freeze?
On average, El Paso experiences its first freeze (32 degrees or less) by Nov. 15, and its first hard freeze (28 degrees or less) by Nov. 24.
Parts of Southern New Mexico drop below freezing much earlier, with Cloudcroft averaging 32 degrees or lower by Sept. 27.
How cold will it get in El Paso this winter?
El Paso and parts of New Mexico are favored to be warmer-than-average for the winter months, according to a seasonal outlook released by the National Weather Service on Oct. 16.
Precipitation is also expected to be lower than average.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Freeze watch issued for parts of West Texas, Southern New Mexico
