Forecasters: New Mexico was warm and dry in 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — National weather experts say 2016 will go down as one of the warmest years on record in New Mexico. While final data has yet to be tallied by the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, no less than six months were in the top 10 warmest on record and three months were in the top three warmest. But forecasters say the warm weather is nothing new. The last time New Mexico experienced a year in which temperatures were below normal was 1992, meaning the state has experienced 24 consecutive years with above normal temperatures. As for snow and rainfall, forecasters say New Mexico also saw below normal precipitation in 2016. In the last 20 years, 10 years have been drier than normal and rest wetter than normal.