Albuquerque, New Mexico Shatters March 21 Record with 91°F at Sunport, Largest Daily High Temperature Margin Since 1917

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — When temperatures soared to 91 degrees Fahrenheit on March 21 at Albuquerque International Sunport, it didn’t just set a new daily record — it crushed the previous mark by a remarkable 10 degrees.

According to historical comparisons displayed in long-term climate data for the airport station, this is the first time since December 16, 1917 that a daily record high temperature in Albuquerque has been broken by 10°F or more.

A Historic Margin at the Sunport

The chart analyzing record margins at Albuquerque International Airport (Station NM0234) tracks how much new daily high or low records exceeded previous marks dating back to the late 1800s.

Red markers indicate high temperature records broken, while blue markers represent low temperature records.

Most record-breaking high temperatures typically exceed previous marks by only a few degrees. A 10-degree margin stands out dramatically on the historical record.

The March 21 reading of 91°F now joins a very small group of extreme outliers in the city’s climate history.

Largest Daily High Record Margin in Over a Century

The previous instance of a daily high being broken by at least 10°F occurred on December 16, 1917 — more than 100 years ago.

That historical gap underscores just how unusual this latest event was.

While Albuquerque has experienced many record highs over the decades, margins of this magnitude are exceptionally rare in modern climate records.

What the Data Shows

The long-term graph reveals several important patterns:

• Record highs (red dots) are more common than record lows in recent decades.
• Most daily records are surpassed by relatively small margins — generally under 5°F.
• Extreme outliers above 10°F are extremely uncommon after the early 1900s.

The 91°F reading on March 21 clearly rises above surrounding values in recent decades, reinforcing its significance.

March Heat in Context

Reaching 91°F in late March is notable for Albuquerque, especially given the time of year when average highs are typically much lower.

The 10-degree margin over the previous daily record adds another layer of historic weight to the event.

Climate data suggests such large record margins are statistically rare, particularly in well-established observing stations like the Sunport with more than a century of data.

Bottom Line

Albuquerque International Sunport’s 91°F reading on March 21 didn’t just set a record — it broke the previous daily high by 10°F, marking the largest such margin since 1917. In over a century of climate observations, daily records exceeding prior marks by that much have been exceptionally rare.

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