Alert archive / New Mexico / High Wind Watches in 2025

High Wind Watch 21, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

May 17, 2025Eddy County, New Mexico; Culberson County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this high wind watch at May 17, 2025, 12:44 AM MDT for Eddy County, New Mexico; Culberson County, Texas. It took effect at May 18, 2025, 11:00 AM MDT. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 2025, 12:44 AM MDT (06:44 UTC)
In effect from
May 18, 2025, 11:00 AM MDT
Expired
May 17, 2025, 1:43 PM MDT
In force
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

Counties Eddy County, NM, Culberson County, TX

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 203 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:45 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 209 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2025-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2025-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 29 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
5230 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
29 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

545 
WWUS74 KMAF 170644
NPWMAF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
1244 AM MDT Sat May 17 2025

NMZ027-TXZ270-271-171815-
/O.NEW.KMAF.HW.A.0021.250518T1700Z-250519T0300Z/
Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County-Guadalupe Mountains Above
7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-
Including the cities of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Pine
Springs, and Queen
1244 AM MDT Sat May 17 2025 /144 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025/

...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY 
EVENING...

* WHAT...Southwest winds 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 70 mph 
  possible.

* WHERE...Guadalupe Mountains of west Texas and Southeast New Mexico.

* WHEN...From Sunday morning through Sunday evening.

* IMPACTS...Gusty winds may blow around unsecured objects. Severe 
  turbulence near the mountains will be hazardous for low flying 
  light aircraft. Aviation interests may experience localized but 
  extreme turbulence, or strong downward airflows if flying in the 
  near the Guadalupe Mountains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.

Use caution if flying low near the mountains as severe turbulence is 
possible.

Use caution when driving as blowing dust may reduce visibility.

&&

$$

R Hluchan
1 follow-up statement
506 
WWUS74 KMAF 171943
NPWMAF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
143 PM MDT Sat May 17 2025

NMZ027-TXZ270-271-180900-
/O.UPG.KMAF.HW.A.0021.250518T1700Z-250519T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KMAF.HW.W.0028.250518T1700Z-250519T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KMAF.HW.A.0022.250519T1700Z-250520T0300Z/
Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County-Guadalupe Mountains Above
7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-
Including the cities of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Queen,
and Pine Springs
143 PM MDT Sat May 17 2025 /243 PM CDT Sat May 17 2025/

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MDT /NOON CDT/ TO 9 PM MDT 
/10 PM CDT/ SUNDAY...
...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY 
EVENING...

* WHAT...For the High Wind Warning, southwest winds 35 to 45 mph 
  with gusts up to 65 mph expected. For the High Wind Watch, west 
  winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph possible.

* WHERE...Guadalupe Mountains of west Texas and Southeast New Mexico.

* WHEN...For the High Wind Warning, from 11 AM MDT /noon CDT/ to 9 
  PM MDT /10 PM CDT/ Sunday. For the High Wind Watch, from Monday 
  morning through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile 
  vehicles like campers, vans, and tractor trailers. Aviation 
  interests may experience localized but extreme turbulence, or 
  strong downward airflows if flying in the near the Guadalupe 
  Mountains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.

Use caution if flying low near the mountains as severe turbulence is 
possible.

&&

$$

21/Lindsey

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 1:40 PM MDTFire Weather WatchMAFChaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Otero35 hr
May 17, 1:40 PM MDTRed Flag WarningMAFChaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Otero31 hr
May 17, 1:43 PM MDTHigh Wind WatchMAFEddy30 hr
May 17, 1:43 PM MDTHigh Wind WarningMAFEddy30 hr

Nearby

High Wind Watches in New Mexico, 2025High Wind Watches in Texas, 2025Every high wind watch in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.