An upper level low pressure trough moving across New Mexico and west Texas, aided in the development of high winds across the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains of southwest Texas.
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.
An upper level low pressure trough moving across New Mexico and west Texas, aided in the development of high winds across the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains of southwest Texas.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 30, 12:02 PM CST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1202 PM CST WED JAN 30 2008
.UPDATE...
STRONG MID LEVEL WINDS WITHIN SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AHEAD OF A POTENT
SHORTWAVE TROUGH HAVE BEGUN TO MIX DOWN IN THE GUADALUPE
MOUNTAINS...AND DAVIS MOUNTAINS ABOVE 6000 FEET...LATE THIS MORNING.
WIND SPEEDS HAVE NOT QUITE MADE IT TO 40 MPH SUSTAINED...OR GUSTS
OVER 58 MPH...BUT WILL WITH TIME. THEREFORE...THE HIGH WIND WARNING
LOOKS GOOD AND WILL REMAIN INTACT. STRONG HEIGHT/SURFACE PRESSURE
FALLS DUE TO THE ONCOMING WAVE WERE RESULTING IN LEE TROUGHING
ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS...AND SURFACE
CYCLOGENESIS OVER SOUTHEAST COLORADO... NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND
THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED
WITH THE LEE TROUGH HAS INCREASED WIND SPEEDS OVER NORTHERN EDDY
COUNTY TO NEAR 30 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS NEAR 45 MPH.
EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE AREAWIDE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LEE TROUGH
STRENGTHENS FURTHER. WARMING TEMPERATURES WILL ALLOW MID LEVEL
WINDS TO MIX TO THE SURFACE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS...THE
HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR FROM VAN HORN NORTHWARD AND OVER MUCH OF THE
SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO PLAINS. WILL GO AHEAD AND ADD NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL LEA COUNTY TO THE WIND ADVISORY THAT EXTENDS FROM THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT SINCE THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT THERE
LOOKS AS THOUGH IT WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO DO SO. THERE MAY BE
LULLS IN WIND SPEEDS...PARTICULARLY THIS EVENING...BUT THINK WINDS
WILL REMAIN FAIRLY STRONG ONCE THEY PICK UP...AND LATER WHEN A
STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA. UPDATED
PRODUCTS WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
TWEAKED A FEW MAX TEMPERATURES...BUT THE RESULT WILL BE THE SAME AS
EARLIER. THAT IS...WILL CONTINUE A RED FLAG WARNING FOR ALL
LOCATIONS BUT TERRELL COUNTY...THE PRESIDIO VALLEY AND GUADALUPE
MOUNTAINS ABOVE 5500 FEET. THIS AS DRY AIR OVER THE AREA WILL
LIKELY STAY THAT WAY...OR BECOME DRIER AS SOUTHWEST WINDS PICK UP
THIS AFTERNOON. WILL LEAVE THE CURRENT FIRE WEATHER FORECAST AND
RED FLAG WARNING AS IS...DUE TO THE NEGLIGIBLE DIFFERENCES.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1144 AM CST WED JAN 30 2008/
AVIATION...
EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER...STRONG
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FOR
ALL TERMINALS THIS PERIOD DUE TO SURFACE LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE
TX/OK PANHANDLES. THE STRONGEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE
HIGHER TERRAIN AND PILOTS COULD EXPERIENCE SOME LOW LEVEL
TURBULENCE OVER THESE AREAS. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN SPARSE WITH DRY
CONDITIONS CURRENTLY DOMINATING THE ATMOSPHERE.
&&
.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NM...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS
EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS
NP/LINCOLN NF/LNZ...SOUTHEAST PLAINS/BLM ROSWELL/LNZ.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 AM MST THURSDAY
FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY
COUNTY.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 AM MST THURSDAY FOR
THE FOLLOWING ZONES...CENTRAL LEA COUNTY...EDDY COUNTY
PLAINS...NORTHERN LEA COUNTY.
TX...RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON CST /11 AM MST/ TODAY TO 9 PM CST /8
PM MST/ THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...ANDREWS...
BIG BEND AREA...BORDEN...CRANE...DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS
AREA...DAWSON...ECTOR...GAINES...GLASSCOCK...GUADALUPE
MOUNTAINS...HOWARD...LOVING...MARFA PLATEAU...MARTIN...
MIDLAND...MITCHELL...PECOS...REAGAN...REEVES COUNTY AND
UPPER TRANS PECOS...SCURRY...UPTON...VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY
54 CORRIDOR...WARD...WINKLER.
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM CST /10 AM MST/ THIS MORNING TO 6
AM CST /5 AM MST/ THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...
DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA...GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS.
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES...VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR.
&&
67/06HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 1226 PM CST WED JAN 30 2008 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-311830- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS- NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES- DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL- VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR- REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS-LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND- GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN-DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA- PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU-BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS- 1226 PM CST WED JAN 30 2008 /1126 AM MST WED JAN 30 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH OR HIGHER WILL COMBINE WITH WARM TEMPERATURES AND VERY DRY AIR TO PRODUCE A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE TRANS PECOS. DUE TO THE VERY DRY CONDITION OF GRASS AND SHRUBBERY AREAWIDE...USE OF FLAMMABLE MATERIALS OUTDOORS IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. HIGH WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE GUADALUPE AND DAVIS MOUNTAINS WHERE WIND SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH...AND GUSTS AROUND 65 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT. ALSO WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. MUCH OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND THE VAN HORN AREA WILL SEE WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...AND GUSTS OF 45 MPH. THIS MAY RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PERMIAN BASIN AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO WHERE VISIBILITIES OF 1 TO 3 MILES WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS DESPITE THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT TONIGHT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN LOW ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION TONIGHT...AND ALONG WITH DRY FUELS AND STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE AREA...RESULT IN CONDITIONS RIPE FOR FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/ HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
McDonald Observatory experienced a prolonged high wind event. Sustained winds of 40-45 mph along with gusts around 60 mph were common throughout the event that began Wednesday afternoon and continued into Thursday morning.
High winds developed across the Guadalupe Mountains during the late afternoon and into the early evening hours. The ASOS equipment at Guadalupe Pass measured a peak wind of 71 mph. The RAWS station at the Pinery measured a peak gust of 59 mph, while the Bowl reported a wind gust of 63 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, January 2008
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: 79088, 79086.