000 FGUS75 KABQ 111658 ESFABQ NMC001>011-019-021-027-028-031-033-037>049-053>061-191800- HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1100 AM MDT WED MAY 11 2005 ...WEEKLY HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK STARTING TODAY... SPRING FLOOD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK BEGINNING WITH TODAY/S ISSUANCE...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE WILL ISSUE A WEEKLY OUTLOOK ON THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING DUE TO SNOWMELT RUNOFF FROM THE MOUNTAIN SNOW PACK. THIS OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED ON WEDNESDAYS AT ABOUT 11 AM MDT AND WILL PERTAIN TO NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. ABUNDANT MOISTURE THIS PAST WINTER AND EARLY THIS SPRING HAS LEFT THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND SOUTHERN COLORADO WITH A GENEROUS SNOW PACK NOT SEEN SINCE 1995. AS OF THIS WEEK...WATER CONTENT IN THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO RANGES FROM 175 TO 250 PERCENT OF AVERAGE. NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...AFTER COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES LAST WEEK...HAVE RESULTED IN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FLOWS IN UNREGULATED RIVERS AND STREAMS ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. A COLD FRONT MOVING EAST FROM THE GREAT BASIN THIS WEEK WILL BRING COOLER TEMPERATURES TO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND SOUTHERN COLORADO THROUGH FRIDAY. ANOTHER WARM UP LOOKS POSSIBLE FOR THE MOUNTAIN REGIONS EARLY NEXT WEEK. A CONTINUATION OF THE MOST RECENT WEATHER PATTERN WITH ALTERNATING WARM AND COOL PERIODS DURING A GIVEN WEEK WOULD ALLOW THE MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK TO GRADUALLY MELT AND THE RESULTANT RUNOFF TO BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE RIVER BANKS AND STREAM CHANNELS. AN ABRUPT AND PROLONGED WARMING PERIOD WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES 5 OR MORE DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ALONG WITH NIGHTTIME LOWS THAT STAY WELL ABOVE FREEZING OVER THE MOUNTAIN SNOW PACK WOULD CAUSE CONCERN FOR A QUICK MELT OF THE SNOW PACK AND A RISK FOR FLOODING. THE GREATEST CONCERN WOULD INCLUDE A MULTI DAY RAIN EVENT IN THE SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINS WITH THE RESULTANT RUNOFF OVERWHELMING THE NATURAL WATERWAYS. HIKERS AND CAMPERS VENTURING INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO THIS SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER SHOULD BE EXTRA CAREFUL DUE TO THE FAST FLOWING WATER IN CREEKS AND STREAMS. PERSONS WITH RIVER SIDE CONCERNS AND PROPERTY SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO MONITOR DAILY STAGE FORECASTS AND PREPARE FOR STRONGER FLOWS LATER THIS SEASON. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE WILL MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STREAMFLOWS INTO EARLY SUMMER. THE NEXT HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK MESSAGE IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 18 ABOUT 11 AM MDT. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WATCHES OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED. $$ 07