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| Above, the yard yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It looks like we're getting a break today with the monsoon-generated thunderstorms.
According to the National Weather Service, today will be sunny in Jamestown, New Mexico. I am sure Gallup will definitely be grateful for the break since the town got flooded twice this week.
My yard looked a bit swampy during yesterday's rain (photo above).
The forecast:
Today
The second round of monsoon rain this week hit the Jamestown/Gallup area yesterday late afternoon and evening.
It was actually more precipitation than on Tuesday.
I didn't know it was raining until I got out to put the Jeep into the garage. Before doing so, I took the below photo. Luckily, the Jeep was facing south and the rain came in from the west, so my seat was still dry.
We're expecting more rain this week. Which is what we need.
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| Above, monsoon rain clouds over Jamestown yesterday evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Finally, at long last, we got some rain yesterday and last night.
This was the first monsoon rain we received in weeks. We need a lot more, but we'll take it.
According to the National Weather Service, the week looks like this for Jamestown:
Well, it did rain yesterday, which we needed.
I ended up grilling hamburgers inside instead of barbecuing. I used one of my mom's cast iron frying pans that she had ever since I could remember. They came out good (with some original Stubb's barbecue sauce).
Since Denny's at the Flying J has been closed for two weeks due to a fire, out coffee group will be heading to Lil's Cafe in Thoreau today. I haven't seen any activity at Denny's to get it reopened yet. Wonder what's keeping them?
As for yesterday's rain, we did have some evening lightning and thunder. I guess the monsoon season is starting early this year. That would be nice.
There may be some more rain coming today.
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| Above, outside this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Today's weather may put a damper on this year's Memorial Day.
I am planning on staying home today and barbecue hamburgers. But, there is a chance of thundershowers today, about 70%. We can use the rain.
I could still barbecue rain or not, I've done it before.
According to the National Weather Service forecast for Jamestown, New Mexico:
Memorial Day
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| Above, the Ruger 10/22 and scope. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Today was a planned shoot at the shooting area to zero (adjust) the mounted scope on my Ruger 10/22. But, it is very windy out (which woke me up) right now. It looks like I'll have to wait a few days.
According to the National Weather Service forecast for Jamestown, New Mexico:
A wind red flag warning has been issued in areas of New Mexico starting at 10:00 AM, including the Gallup/Jamestown area, by the National Weather Service:
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
215 AM MDT Sun May 17 2026
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT TODAY
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PARTS OF WESTERN,
MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL EASTERN NEW MEXICO...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
SOUTHWESTERN, MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO...
.Extremely poor humidity recovery observed this morning with many
areas only reaching 15 to 25 percent come dawn. More widespread and
stronger southwesterly winds alongside another round of 6 to 18
hours of single-digit humidity will yield critical to extremely
critical fire weather conditions for most of west-central, central,
and all of eastern New Mexico Sunday. Another round of critical fire
weather conditions is expected across southwest, central and eastern
New Mexico Monday with even stronger wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph
across eastern New Mexico. Around 6 to 10 hours of single digit
humidity values are expected across east central and southeast New
Mexico on Monday.
NMZ105-172200-
/O.CON.KABQ.FW.W.0037.260517T1600Z-260518T0300Z/
West Central Mountains-
215 AM MDT Sun May 17 2026
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9
PM MDT THIS EVENING...
* AFFECTED AREA...West Central Mountains (Zone 105).
* TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to 9 PM MDT this evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40
mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 6 to 12 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field
of this Red Flag Warning.
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| Above, the Ruger American Predator. Photo by Sturm, Ruger & Co. |
But there are some rifles that have a tendency to fail when conditions get rough. That is the topic of an article in The Avid Outdoorsman with a list of rifles that do fail in rough conditions.
They begin it with:
Bad weather has a way of exposing rifles fast. A gun that looks great from a bench can start feeling a lot less impressive once it gets dragged through rain, dust, cold mornings, truck beds, muddy rests, wet packs, and rushed field positions.
Some rifles are not total junk. A few shoot fine when they are clean, dry, and handled carefully. The trouble starts when the conditions get rough and little problems show up all at once: sticky magazines, wandering zeroes, weak extraction, rough bolts, swelling stocks, gritty triggers, and actions that don’t like dirt nearly as much as the ads suggest.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, the Winchester 62A .22 I inherited from my grandfather. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Now that spring is in full swing, we decided to to some target shooting tomorrow at our shooting area.
According to the National Weather Service, tomorrow will be sunny with a high of 76°, which is good plinking weather.
Here's the forecast for this week:
For this session, I think that I will stick with .22 LR caliber rifles. It will either be with the Winchester 62A or the Ruger 10/22 (or both). With prices for larger calibers high right now, shooting with the .22 caliber rifles is more economical.
Hopefully, we won't have any mishaps like the last time.
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| Above, the shooting area a few years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It looks like this coming week will be a nice warm one.
With comfortable temperatures in the 70s, it looks like good plinking weather at the Jamestown/Cibola National Forest shooting area. The only issue may be wind, but it doesn't look like the winds will be much.
According to the National Weather Service, the weather in Jamestown looks like this:
Sunny, with a high near 77.
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| Above, a little dusting on the deck and furniture. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
As J. R. Ewing used to say on Dallas, "If that don't tear the rag off the bush!"
I just opened the window shades and saw that we got a little dusting of snow overnight. I heard that Jack Rabbit Trading Post had some snow a couple of days ago, but didn't think that we'd get any here in Jamestown, New Mexico.
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| Above, the front yard. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
This may make my drive today to Albuquerque interesting. I have to meet up with Mitch Geriminsky at the Albuquerque Sunport early tomorrow morning for our flight to Houston, Texas for the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits.
I have a cat sitter for Sierra.
I got some good news yesterday. My state tax refund had already been received in my checking account. I'll have plenty of moolah for the Houston trip.
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| Above, the crabapple tree two days ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It appears that we are in a cooling trend with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms in the Gallup/Jamestown vicinity. It did sprinkle a little bit yesterday afternoon. It lasted only a few minutes.
According to the National Weather Service, the next few days look like this:
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| Above, the crabapple tree is blooming. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It looks like we may be getting some precipitation this coming week, starting tomorrow and Monday with a dry storm. A dry storm is a thunderstorm that produces less than 0.1" of rain. This is according to the McKinley County of Emergency Management.
It won't be long when we'll be in monsoon season.
According to the National Weather Service, the week is shaping up as follows:
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| Above, yours truly enjoying Jerry's Cafe's air conditioning Friday. |
Yesterday, the thermometer in Jamestown, New Mexico reached a high of approximately 81°. This was a far cry from the cold temperatures we were getting the the past several months.
Jamestown wasn't the only place in New Mexico who saw high temperatures.
The Albuquerque Journal reported:
Spring sprang like summer on Friday as heat records were shattered in many parts of New Mexico.
But while some people found ways to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather, state officials are on high alert for heat-related illness among vulnerable populations, elevated wildfire risk in tinder-dry forests and a lack of spring runoff amid record-low snowpack.
Clay Anderson, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said the state’s largest city already broke its heat record for the month of March on Thursday with a high of 88 degrees, eclipsing a previous record of 85 degrees, recorded in both 1907 and 1971.
That bar rose again on Friday, to 89 degrees, and is expected to hit 90 Saturday in Albuquerque — which would make it the earliest 90 degree-day recorded in the city. The last such record was set in 1947, when Albuquerque hit 90 on May 3.
Anderson said temperatures in several other areas of the state will also reach record highs in coming days.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, the Durango train departing the Durango Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Today's high temperature is forecast to reach 80°. That's according to the National Weather Service.
The temperature is expected to reach 80° or more this weekend as well. I guess Spring came a little bit early this year.
Also, the National Weather Service posted the following:
Early Spring Heat Wave in the Southwest U.S.; Critical Fire Weather in the Central Rockies and Plains
An unusual early Spring heat wave will continue much above-normal temperatures over the Southwest U.S. through early next week. Many locations are likely to set records for the highest-ever March temperature. Periods of critical fire weather will persist from the central Rockies to the central Plains through Saturday as gusty winds and low relative humidity continue.
Although we need more precipitation, the warmer temperatures are welcome as we've had to bundle up all Winter.
As for the coming summer, as the new roof expense put a big crimp in my finances, I may just take short and local vacation trips. Durango, Colorado is at the top of my list. It is only a few hours away.
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| Above, the Jeep at the shooting range last Sunday. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
We in the Gallup/Jamestown, New Mexico area will be seeing a heat wave this week (at least through Monday).
We might take advantage of the warm weather and may do some target shooting. Hopefully, this time without any mishaps like the last time.
It will be good driving weather with the Jeep as well. Too bad Six Mile Canyon won't be open to vehicles yet.
According to the National Weather Service, the weather for Jamestown/Gallup will be as follows:
Today
A little surprise awaited me this morning.
A few minutes ago, I was putting some clothes in the dryer when I looked out the window and noticed about 1/4 inch layer of snow on the garage roof.
I wasn't expecting snow today, so it is a surprise. But I am not complaining, we can use it.
I took this shot:
