New Mexico, 2025

Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025 · NWS EPZ · 8 events in 5 counties and zones

An upper low was moving through the Great Basin with southwest flow over the Borderland. A jet streak of around 100 knots was located over southwest New Mexico which helped to bring wind gusts up to 89 mph and widespread blowing dust with visibilities dropping to near zero.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

An upper low was moving through the Great Basin with southwest flow over the Borderland. A jet streak of around 100 knots was located over southwest New Mexico which helped to bring wind gusts up to 89 mph and widespread blowing dust with visibilities dropping to near zero.

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 27, 10:20 AM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 10:20 AM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind, 4 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands

When
April 27, 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone
Measured
77 kt (89 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.699, -106.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The San Augustin Pass Mesonet site recorded a peak gust of 89 mph. Other gusts included 72 mph at Salinas Peak, 68 mph at Emre on the White Sands Missile Range, 63 mph at Apache and 60 mph at the White Sands Missile Range Museum.

Dust Storm, Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin

When
April 27, 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All highways across Luna county were closed due to blowing dust including Interstate 10 and US 180. Near zero visibilities were widespread across the county.

High Wind, Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley

When
April 27, 1:00 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Dripping Springs RAWS reported a peak gust of 58 mph.

Dust Storm, Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley

When
April 27, 1:00 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Interstate 10 was closed in Dona Ana county from Las Cruces west into Luna county due to near zero visibilities.

Dust Storm, Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley

When
April 27, 1:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.326, -108.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Interstate 10 was closed across Hidalgo and southern Grant counties due to blowing dust and near zero visibilities.

High Wind, Sierra County Lakes

When
April 27, 2:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Sierra County Lakes forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
33.131, -107.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Truth or Consequences Airport reported a peak gust of 60 mph.

Dust Storm, West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands

When
April 27, 2:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.699, -106.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blowing dust with visibilities near zero closed US 70 from mile marker 200 into Alamogordo.

High Wind, Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin

When
April 27, 3:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Deming Airport reported a peak gust of 58 mph.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Dust Storm
Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2025

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1250782, 1250787, 1250783, 1250800, 1250802, 1250784, 1250796, 1250779.