There was a weakened subtropical ridge in place with good moisture, intense heating, and upslope winds present across southeast New Mexico. A lee surface trough was also present across the plains of southeast New Mexico.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
There was a weakened subtropical ridge in place with good moisture, intense heating, and upslope winds present across southeast New Mexico. A lee surface trough was also present across the plains of southeast New Mexico. These conditions resulted in thunderstorms with gusty winds developing.
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 Sep 17, 4:37 PM MST, 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 637 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015 .DISCUSSION... See 00z aviation discussion below. && .AVIATION... Scattered thunderstorms are possible at CNM and HOB this evening. Expect storms to decrease in coverage as the evening progresses. Otherwise, VFR conditions overnight with southerly winds. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 229 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015/ DISCUSSION... An upper level high pressure system centered in central Texas will slowly flatten and sink south into Mexico through Sunday as a couple of upper level troughs track across the northern states. This will allow the chance of thunderstorms to increase across the mountains, southeast New Mexico Plains, upper Trans Pecos and western Permian Basin this evening and Friday afternoon and night. This will be due to topography and intense heating along and east of a surface lee trough. Not expecting much in the way of severe storms given modest cape and shear progged. Expecting another day of above normal temperatures Friday with the ridge still nearby. The aforementioned upper level troughs will also drop a cold front south into the forecast area late Friday night through Saturday night. This will increase precipitation chances further Saturday and Saturday night with mainly widely scattered to scattered thunderstorms expected areawide. The exception at this time appears to be the Big Bend Region and the lower Trans Pecos furthest away from the front. Some stronger storms look possible Saturday with bulk shear forecast of 20 to 30 knots. High temperatures are expected to drop back to at or below normal values across a significant area due to the frontal passage and increasing cloud cover. By Sunday and through much of next week, precipitation chances look to significantly decrease again with the front gone and the upper level ridge building back into the forecast area. An isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorm cant be totally ruled out in the mountains with upslope flow but not worth mentioning on several of those days. Temperature's should rebound again to above normal values underneath the ridge. && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && 99
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 1221 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-181730- 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- 1221 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015 /1121 AM MDT THU SEP 17 2015/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO ON FRIDAY...INCREASING IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA SATURDAY WITH THE ARRIVAL OF A COLD FRONT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE. .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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 407 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015 NMZ028-TXZ058-059-172200- EDDY COUNTY PLAINS NM-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS TX- LOVING TX- 407 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN EDDY...NORTHEASTERN CULBERSON...NORTHWESTERN LOVING AND NORTHWESTERN REEVES COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT/400 PM MDT/... AT 407 PM CDT/307 PM MDT/...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES WEST OF ORLA...OR 29 MILES WEST OF MENTONE... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... RED BLUFF RESERVOIR...RED BLUFF AND ORLA. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 3161 10410 3182 10429 3222 10392 3187 10361 TIME...MOT...LOC 2107Z 235DEG 14KT 3182 10408 82
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
330 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015
NMZ029-172215-
NORTHERN LEA COUNTY NM-
330 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN LEA COUNTY UNTIL 415
PM MDT...
AT 328 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES SOUTHWEST OF BLEDSOE...OR 21 MILES NORTHEAST OF TATUM...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF NORTHEASTERN LEA
COUNTY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING..ESPECIALLY ALONG PORTIONS OF STATE HIGHWAY 125
AND FARM TO MARKET ROAD 769. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH
FLOODED ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3341 10305 3340 10307 3344 10319 3346 10320
3356 10317 3357 10315 3357 10306
TIME...MOT...LOC 2128Z 237DEG 6KT 3350 10309
67SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 523 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015 NMZ028-033-034-180015- EDDY COUNTY PLAINS NM-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY NM-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY NM- 523 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL EDDY AND WEST CENTRAL LEA COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM MDT... AT 523 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER CAVERN CITY AIR TERMINAL...OR NEAR CARLSBAD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... CARLSBAD...CARLSBAD NORTH...CAVERN CITY AIR TERMINAL...OTIS...HALFWAY AND LIVING DESERT STATE PARK. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 3224 10428 3239 10439 3272 10382 3249 10366 TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 232DEG 34KT 3236 10427 67
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 523 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015 NMZ028-033-034-180015- EDDY COUNTY PLAINS NM-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY NM-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY NM- 523 PM MDT THU SEP 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL EDDY AND WEST CENTRAL LEA COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM MDT... AT 523 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER CAVERN CITY AIR TERMINAL...OR NEAR CARLSBAD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... CARLSBAD...CARLSBAD NORTH...CAVERN CITY AIR TERMINAL...OTIS...HALFWAY AND LIVING DESERT STATE PARK. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 3224 10428 3239 10439 3272 10382 3249 10366 TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 232DEG 34KT 3236 10427
The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 191 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:51 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm moved across Eddy County and produced an estimated 60 mph wind gust in Carlsbad. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, September 2015
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: 597788.