A marginal amount of mid level moisture helped to trigger a few thunderstorms over Otero county. There was very dry air at the surface and a collapsing storm caused a heat burst and wind gust to 62 mph at Holloman Air Force Base.
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The episode as NWS EPZ wrote it up.
A marginal amount of mid level moisture helped to trigger a few thunderstorms over Otero county. There was very dry air at the surface and a collapsing storm caused a heat burst and wind gust to 62 mph at Holloman Air Force Base.
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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 21, 4:39 PM MST, 5 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM 539 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 125 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 We will see moisture and rain chances creep back into the area on Thursday and Friday, but then drier air returns for the weekend, only for the moisture and rain chances to return for the start of next week. Our high temperatures into the weekend will continue to run well above average, but for the start of next week we will see high temperatures dip a few degrees. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 125 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 Our non-existent monsoon season will try to sputter back to life over the next week, with a strong emphasis on sputter. Currently an area of upper level high pressure continues to be centered over the Texas Panhandle. The circulation around the ridge continues to keep most of the moisture and rain chances just to the east of New Mexico. By later this evening there will be a better chance for thunderstorms west of the Continental Divide. On Thursday, the upper level ridge doesn't move much, but it does begin to reorient itself to a more northeast to southwest shape. This will allow moisture to slip further east and most of the area will see at least a slight chance for rain on both Thursday and Friday. For the weekend, the ridge builds back to the west a little and pushes our moisture back into Arizona. Our high temperatures for Thursday through Sunday will continue to run 5 to 10 degrees above average, which will keep most lowland locations near 100 degrees. For the start of next week the pattern begins to get complicated with the upper level ridge to our east being squeezed by a trough in the northern Rockies and an easterly wave moving up the Rio Grande Valley to the east. The upper level ridge doesn't want to give much ground, but it does appear that we will see a little better chances for rain as our precipitable water values get back above 1 inch. At the same time, odds are looking better for our high temperatures dropping a little below 100. My confidence is not very high in our rain chances since both our extended models have vastly different solutions for the middle of next week and beyond. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 528 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 Scattered showers and storms are ongoing west of KDMN, lasting into the overnight. Some redevelopment is possible tonight closer to KDMN with addition of SH/TS depending on radar and satellite trends. Gusty outflows up to 25kts may reach KDMN tonight from S/SW. Late in the period, isolated showers and storms may form near the terminals due to a modest increase in moisture. Confidence is too low for any mention of TS in the TAFs for this cycle. Occasional gusts possible early in period due to diurnal mixing and again tomorrow afternoon from S. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 125 PM MDT Wed Aug 21 2024 We will see a little better chances for rain on Thursday and Friday, with the best chances west of the Rio Grande. For the weekend drier air returns which will limit our rain chances to near the NM/AZ border, but then better rain chances return next week. Despite the rain chances min RH's will be about the same day to day with teens in the lowlands and 20's in the mountains (a little higher west of the Rio Grande). Winds will stay well below critical levels, but we could see a few strong and gusty outflow winds the next couple of evenings. Ventilation rates will range from good to excellent through the weekend. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... El Paso 77 102 77 102 / 10 10 20 0 Sierra Blanca 69 95 70 94 / 0 10 10 0 Las Cruces 72 100 71 99 / 10 20 30 10 Alamogordo 69 99 70 98 / 10 10 10 10 Cloudcroft 56 74 55 74 / 0 20 10 20 Truth or Consequences 72 96 70 96 / 10 30 30 30 Silver City 64 88 62 88 / 20 70 50 60 Deming 70 97 69 98 / 20 30 40 30 Lordsburg 69 94 68 94 / 50 50 50 60 West El Paso Metro 75 99 76 99 / 10 10 20 10 Dell City 69 101 71 101 / 0 10 0 0 Fort Hancock 72 102 72 101 / 10 10 10 0 Loma Linda 69 92 70 93 / 10 10 10 10 Fabens 72 100 73 101 / 10 10 10 0 Santa Teresa 72 98 72 98 / 10 10 30 10 White Sands HQ 75 99 75 99 / 10 10 20 10 Jornada Range 70 97 70 98 / 10 20 20 20 Hatch 69 100 69 100 / 10 30 30 20 Columbus 72 97 70 98 / 20 30 30 20 Orogrande 70 97 70 98 / 10 10 20 10 Mayhill 60 87 59 87 / 0 20 10 20 Mescalero 59 87 58 86 / 0 30 10 30 Timberon 57 84 56 85 / 0 10 10 10 Winston 59 87 58 86 / 10 60 30 60 Hillsboro 66 95 65 95 / 10 50 40 50 Spaceport 67 97 66 97 / 10 30 30 20 Lake Roberts 58 87 57 86 / 20 70 50 60 Hurley 64 92 63 91 / 20 60 40 60 Cliff 64 97 63 96 / 30 70 40 60 Mule Creek 65 89 63 89 / 30 70 50 60 Faywood 66 91 65 91 / 20 50 40 50 Animas 68 95 68 96 / 60 60 50 60 Hachita 67 95 67 96 / 50 50 40 50 Antelope Wells 67 94 67 95 / 50 50 30 40 Cloverdale 64 88 65 89 / 50 60 40 60 && .EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. NM...None. && FORECASTER...39-Aronson
The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:55 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Holloman Air Force Base AWOS recorded a peak gust of 62 mph out of a decaying thunderstorm which was also accompanied by a minor heat burst.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2024
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: 1211604.