Monday, November 2, 2026
Winter arrives in Red River today. Snow showers were falling this morning at 36 degrees, feeling like 26 in a west wind gusting to 30 miles per hour, and snow is likely through the day with a high near 37 before skies clear tonight and the temperature drops to about 19. Morning radar showed widespread precipitation over northern New Mexico and the Enchanted Circle, with heavier echoes around Albuquerque, so expect a wintry mix on the high roads today and take NM-38 over Bobcat Pass slowly. No weather alerts had been issued for Red River this morning.
The rest of the week turns calm, cold, and bright, which is good news for anyone driving in. Tuesday is sunny with a high near 45, Wednesday sunny near 48, Thursday mostly sunny near 45, and Friday partly cloudy near 45, with overnight lows in the low 20s. The weekend looks even better: mostly sunny Saturday near 48 and sunny Sunday near 51, under early sunsets that slide from 5:03 p.m. today to 4:57 p.m. Sunday. Drivers coming from farther away should still check conditions before leaving, because today's radar also showed storms east of Amarillo on the I-40 corridor, heavy rain across central Kansas, and precipitation along I-25 in southern Colorado.
The big countdown on Main Street is to ski season. Red River Ski and Summer Area opens for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday, November 25, just 23 days away, and Ski New Mexico reports winter tubing is scheduled to begin a day earlier, on November 24, along with a new magic carpet for the beginner and teaching area. This quiet week is a smart time to book Thanksgiving-week lodging and watch the snow report as the mountain builds toward opening day. Cross-country skiers should note that Enchanted Forest on Bobcat Pass will not operate this winter, so plan Nordic days elsewhere.
The calendar offers a worthwhile regional outing this weekend. The 45th annual Dixon Studio Tour runs Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Dixon, about 25 miles south of Taos in the Embudo Valley, with an artists preview reception Friday evening. It is the longest continuously running studio tour in New Mexico, and it makes an easy day trip from Red River once the roads clear. Looking a little farther ahead, the New Mexico State Wildlife Commission meets right here in town at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 13, at the Red River Conference Center on West River Street, with a live webcast and Zoom comment option for anyone who cannot attend in person.
In regional news from Taos County, commissioners have ordered a 62,000 dollar evaluation of the historic courthouse murals before any restoration, approving the study at their October 20 meeting. The murals, last restored in 1994, will be tested for paint, pigment, and condition, and a full restoration could run between 125,000 and 200,000 dollars depending on what the study finds. Veterans Day follows next Wednesday, November 11, and then the season turns festive with Switch on the Holidays in Brandenburg Park on November 26.
So this week in Red River is a tale of two seasons: snow boots today, sunglasses by the weekend, and a town quietly getting ready for opening day. Dress in layers, drive carefully over the passes while the snow lasts, and enjoy Main Street at its calmest, with the lifts waiting just up the hill and winter only three weeks away.