AN ALT UNDERSHOOT DURING CLB TO CRUISE AT FL350 BY A B737 FLT CREW WHEN THEIR ALTIMETERS WERE STILL SET ON QNH ON CLBOUT FROM ABQ; NM.

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THIS WAS THE SECOND DAY OF A 3-DAY PAIRING. IT WAS OUR FIRST FLT OF THE DAY; FO'S LEG. TAXI; TKOF AND INITIAL CLB WERE NORMAL. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 16000 FT; WE WERE IMC AND NAVING AROUND A LARGE BUILDUP. I DECIDED TO INFORM THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO REMAIN SEATED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. IT WAS DURING THIS PORTION OF THE CLB THAT WE MISSED THE FL180 CALL. AT FL310; ATC ASKED HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO CLB TO FL350. I INFORMED HIM IT WOULD TAKE 3 MINS. WE WERE GIVEN A 20 DEGS VECTOR TO THE R AND INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO FL350. DURING THIS PART OF THE CLB; WE WERE STILL IMC AND APCHING ANOTHER CELL. I DECIDED TO INFORM THE PAX OF WHY OUR BEVERAGE SVC WAS BEING DELAYED AND TO REMIND THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO REMAIN SEATED. AS I RETURNED TO THE ATC FREQ; MY FO WAS CONFIRMING WITH ATC THAT WE WERE AT FL350. THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT BOTH OUR ALTIMETERS WERE STILL SET AT 30.27. I RESET THE ALTIMETER TO 29.92 AND INFORMED ATC WE WERE STILL CLBING OUT OF FL347. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT WERE: 1) TUNNEL VISION ON WX AVOIDANCE. 2) BREAKDOWN IN STANDARD CREW CALLOUTS. 3) BOTH PLTS CONCENTRATING ON THE WX RADAR AT THE SAME TIME. 4) TIMING OF FLT ATTENDANT'S ADVISORIES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 590568: ATC ASKED US TO BE LEVEL IN 10 SECONDS. I REPLIED 'WE ARE THERE NOW.' HE SAID 'OK.' AT THIS TIME CAPT WAS RETURNING TO #1 RADIO AND ALSO REALIZING WE HAD 30.27 STILL ON THE ALTIMETER. WE CLBED UP QUICKLY AND NEVER RECEIVED A TA OR AN RA. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL.