Thursday, October 22, 2026
Thursday is starting wet in Red River. Morning rain showers brought a temperature of 44 degrees, very damp air, and wet pavement on Main Street, and no weather alerts were in effect for the town this morning. The rain is expected to ease as the morning goes on, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and an afternoon high near 57 degrees, with southwest winds picking up and gusts possible later in the day. It is a warm-drinks, slow-morning kind of start, with better light for a stroll between showers by afternoon.
Our shared drive-in radar this morning shows widespread rain across northern New Mexico, including the Taos and Enchanted Circle area, plus rain along Interstate 25 through southern Colorado from Pueblo to Trinidad and Raton, heavier rain near Alamosa, and rain along the Colorado Front Range. If you are driving in today, expect wet roads on NM-38 over Bobcat Pass and around the Enchanted Circle, and take it easy on slick corners. Trails will be muddy after this rain, so give them time to drain and dry before heading out.
On the mountain, Red River Ski and Summer Area is quiet and closed between seasons, with no lifts or trails open and no new snow or base to report. At the town elevation of 8,750 feet, today's moisture is falling as rain, not snow, so this storm is soaking the valley rather than building the ski season just yet. Opening Day is planned for Thanksgiving week in late November, and the countdown is very much on: every cool, wet system like this one is a reminder to get skis tuned, passes sorted, and lodging booked while the calendar is still open.
For walkers, the in-town paths and the lower trails near the river are the sensible picks today once the rain lets up, in layers and waterproof footwear, and with extra care on slick bridges and shaded stretches. Sunset comes at 6:15 PM, so plan any late outing accordingly. The late-season fall color that is still hanging on in the canyon will look especially rich in the wet, cloudy light between showers.
More showers are possible late tonight, with a low near 39, and Friday stays showery and cooler, with a high near 53 and a low near freezing. The weekend turns colder still: Saturday brings rain and possible thunderstorms with a high near 48, and Sunday could mix rain and snow showers with a high near 46 and a low in the mid-20s, before Monday clears and turns mostly sunny. That unsettled weekend weather is worth watching if your plans include the Rio Grande Sky Fiesta at Los Luceros or the Taos Mountain Balloon Rally, both scheduled for October 24-25, since ballooning is weather-dependent. Looking a little further ahead, Red River's free Halloween Carnival is set for October 31 from 5 to 7 PM at the Red River Conference Center.