Texas, 2024

High Wind in Texas, April 15, 2024

April 15, 2024 · NWS EPZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong upper low was moving through the central Rockies with a 90kt jet over far west Texas. West to southwest winds ahead of an associated cold front brought wind gusts up to 67 mph to the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS EPZ wrote it up.

A strong upper low was moving through the central Rockies with a 90kt jet over far west Texas. West to southwest winds ahead of an associated cold front brought wind gusts up to 67 mph to the area.

What forecasters said that day

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 Apr 15, 1:00 PM MST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 1:00 PM MST, 2 hours before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
200 PM MDT Mon Apr 15 2024

...New SYNOPSIS, DISCUSSION, FIRE WEATHER...

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 200 PM MDT Mon Apr 15 2024

Winds will be on the decrease this evening and will be much
lighter but still a little breezy each afternoon. Temperatures
will be slightly cooler for Tuesday before warming back up into
the 80s to near 90 for the lowlands by Thursday. A back door cold
front could bring a quick break from the heat going into Sunday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 200 PM MDT Mon Apr 15 2024

The main impactful weather over the next week looks to be ending
in the first 6 hours of the short term. Upper low moving through
southern CO will push weak cold front through by early this
evening and upper trough by 06Z. This will allow winds to
gradually decrease through the overnight hours. Will just leave
highlights as is for now. Expect some wind to continue into the
morning hours, especially eastern slopes and keep lows around 50,
but areas west of the Rio Grande could drop into the 30s with some
dry air remaining in place.

Temperatures Tuesday will cool down about 3-6 degrees and winds
will decrease to 5-15 mph as main upper low pushes into the
Midwest and gradient relaxes over the area. Generally zonal flow
for the remainder of the work week will warm temperatures back
above normal with 80s over the lowlands common, even a 90 possible
around KELP and lower Rio Grande Valley around Thursday. Very dry
air remains in place with dew points in the single digits and
teens, so with light winds, overnight lows will be able to drop
nicely.

A weak upper trough moves through Saturday with an upper high
building into the Front Range. This is where models do differ as
the EC is pushing a back door into our NE zones during the day Sat
and then through area Sat night. GFS has this front remaining east
of the area Sat and then pushing to about the Divide overnight.
The upper air pattern, time of the year and support from ensembles
make me lean more toward the GFS/GEFS solution. This also seems
more in line with the NBM temperatures.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1102 AM MDT Mon Apr 15 2024

P6SM SKC-FEW250. Winds will be from around 240-260 at 20-30G45KTS
to start the period, then switching more to 270-300 at the same
speeds around 00Z, but gradually decreasing to 5-15KTS by 06Z at
all terminals. Areas of blowing dust could reduce visibilities to
1-3SM around 19Z-01Z, especially along and south of a KALM-KDMN
line.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 200 PM MDT Mon Apr 15 2024

Winds will be on the decrease this evening and over the upcoming
week, will be occasionally low end breezy, but not threatening to
reach critical speeds. RH's however, will remain low through the
week with westerly winds keeping them in the single digits for the
lowlands and some occasional teens in the mountains. Temperatures
will be slightly cooler Tuesday, but warm back up to about 5-10
degrees above normal by the end of the week. Vent rates the next
couple of days will be Very Good.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
El Paso                  51  81  55  87 /   0   0   0   0
Sierra Blanca            45  76  54  82 /   0   0   0   0
Las Cruces               45  81  48  87 /   0   0   0   0
Alamogordo               42  78  47  83 /   0   0   0   0
Cloudcroft               32  54  37  61 /   0   0   0   0
Truth or Consequences    44  79  49  84 /   0   0   0   0
Silver City              38  70  46  76 /   0   0   0   0
Deming                   40  79  44  85 /   0   0   0   0
Lordsburg                38  76  44  82 /   0   0   0   0
West El Paso Metro       47  79  53  85 /   0   0   0   0
Dell City                43  81  44  87 /   0   0   0   0
Fort Hancock             44  81  48  87 /   0   0   0   0
Loma Linda               43  73  47  79 /   0   0   0   0
Fabens                   45  81  50  87 /   0   0   0   0
Santa Teresa             43  78  46  83 /   0   0   0   0
White Sands HQ           49  78  54  84 /   0   0   0   0
Jornada Range            39  79  42  83 /   0   0   0   0
Hatch                    39  81  45  86 /   0   0   0   0
Columbus                 44  79  48  84 /   0   0   0   0
Orogrande                42  77  47  82 /   0   0   0   0
Mayhill                  39  68  42  76 /   0   0   0   0
Mescalero                37  66  41  72 /   0   0   0   0
Timberon                 34  65  39  71 /   0   0   0   0
Winston                  38  73  42  77 /   0   0   0   0
Hillsboro                38  79  46  82 /   0   0   0   0
Spaceport                38  79  43  83 /   0   0   0   0
Lake Roberts             33  72  35  77 /   0   0   0   0
Hurley                   35  74  40  79 /   0   0   0   0
Cliff                    37  78  41  82 /   0   0   0   0
Mule Creek               38  73  42  78 /   0   0   0   0
Faywood                  38  75  45  79 /   0   0   0   0
Animas                   39  77  45  83 /   0   0   0   0
Hachita                  40  77  45  83 /   0   0   0   0
Antelope Wells           38  79  45  84 /   0   0   0   0
Cloverdale               39  74  48  78 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...High Wind Warning until 10 PM MDT this evening for TXZ419>421.

     Wind Advisory until 10 PM MDT this evening for TXZ418-422>424.

     Red Flag Warning until 10 PM MDT this evening for TXZ055-056.

     Blowing Dust Advisory until 5 PM MDT this afternoon for
     TXZ418>424.

NM...High Wind Warning until 10 PM MDT this evening for NMZ403-
     406>411-414>417-425>427.

     Wind Advisory until 10 PM MDT this evening for NMZ401-404-405-
     428-429.

     Red Flag Warning until 10 PM MDT this evening for NMZ111>113.

     Blowing Dust Advisory until 5 PM MDT this afternoon for NMZ404-
     407-411-417-429.

&&

FORECASTER...26-Grzywacz

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Eastern/Central El Paso County

When
April 15, 3:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern/Central El Paso County forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
31.769, -106.235 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak gust of 67 mph was recorded at South Franklin Peak. The El Paso International Airport recorded a gust of 58 mph. A report on social media showed winds knocked over a sign onto a vehicle.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2024

Sources

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: 1170449.