This high wind event involved most of the region in the wake of a Pacific cold front that swept through the area. Blowing dust was reported ahead of the front with south winds and also behind the front with west winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS MAF wrote it up.
This high wind event involved most of the region in the wake of a Pacific cold front that swept through the area. Blowing dust was reported ahead of the front with south winds and also behind the front with west winds. A squall line of thunderstorms developed as the front crossed into Texas from eastern New Mexico. With all the dust in the air, a muddy rain fell within the squall line.Utility lines and poles were downed, trailers rolled over, and the visibility was so low (in blowing dust) that the Texas Dept. of Transportation closed I-20 west of Mile Marker 40, State Highway 17 between Pecos and Balmorhea, and U.S. 285 north of Pecos the New Mexico state line, where the NM DOT closed the highway farther north to Malaga.
The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:32 UTC.
7 high wind, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
National Park Service at Guadalupe Mountains National Park reported strong gradient winds damaged a garage door.
Gradient winds estimated at 60 mph blew down road signs, tore shingles off roofs, and blew down a hotel sign in Pecos.
High winds caused damage in some parts of the county including large doors on an airport hangar and trees toppled over.
Wind damaged roof of business and destroyed a 20 X 40 ft outbuilding. Also damaged hangar at Skywest Airport. Measured peak winds at the Midland International Airport reached 47 knots, while maximum sustained winds reach 37 knots.
Sustained winds were measured at 35 knots with gusts to 47 knots at Schlemeyer Field in Odessa.
High winds toppled several trees and utility poles and caused minor property damage around the county.
Thunderstorm outflow winds blew over a trailer.
Thunderstorm outflow winds blew over a mobile home in Odessa and tore tin off other buildings. Also a church in Odessa had it's roof torn off. Utility lines and poles were knocked down at several locations around the city. The storms were embedded in a squall line with high gradient winds as well. These storms had better radar charcteristics and it was thought that much of the wind damage was from convective downdrafts versus pure gradient wind. The storms' intensities subsided after passing by Odessa.
High winds caused widespread damage to barns, roofs, utility poles, and signs around the county. The peak wind recorded by the Snyder AWOS was 54 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2000
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5138582, 5138581, 5138015, 5138580, 5138583, 5138644, 5138017, 5138016, 5138645.