Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, March 18, 2025

Name: Dust Storm and High Wind in New Mexico, March 18, 2025
Start: 2025-03-18T10:00
End: 2025-03-18T19:00
Location: New Mexico

March 18, 2025 · NWS EPZ · 16 events in 12 counties and zones

A strong upper low was moving across the Rockies with an associated cold front at the surface moving through the Borderland. Winds ahead and just behind the cold front brought gusts up to 101 mph.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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: 3
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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 across the Rockies with an associated cold front at the surface moving through the Borderland. Winds ahead and just behind the cold front brought gusts up to 101 mph. The strong winds created several areas of blowing dust which reduced visibilities to under a quarter mile at times, resulting in the closure of Interstate 10 and other major highways in 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 Mar 18, 7:27 AM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 18, 7:27 AM MST, 2 hours 33 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

10 high wind, 6 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Dust Storm, Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin

When: March 18, 10:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread dust occurred across Luna county with Interstate 10, Highway 180 and New Mexico 549 all closed due to near zero visibility. Road closures lasted over 6 hours.

Dust Storm, Northern Dona Ana County

When: March 18, 10:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Dona Ana County forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread blowing dust caused visibilities to drop to near zero across northern Dona Ana county. New Mexico 26 was closed and around 300 foot visibility was reported around the Upham exit on Interstate 25.

High Wind, Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The peak gust across the zone was 63 mph at Dripping Springs. Other gusts included 61 mph at the Las Cruces Airport and 59 mph at the NWS Office in Santa Teresa.

High Wind, Sierra County Lakes

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Sierra County Lakes forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 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 recorded a peak gust of 69 mph.

High Wind, Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Deming Airport recorded a peak gust of 66 mph.

High Wind, East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Tularosa Airstrip measured a peak gust of 66 mph. The Tula station on the White Sands Missile Range also recorded a gust of 60 mph.

High Wind, West Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: West Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Mescalero RAWS recorded a peak gust of 63 mph.

High Wind, East Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: East Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak gust of 62 mph was recorded at Dimension Point near Mayhill. The Mayhill RAWS also recorded a peak gust of 60 mph.

High Wind, Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 32.460, -108.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Grant County Airport recorded a peak gust of 58 mph.

High Wind, Southeast Tularosa Basin

When: March 18, 11:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Southeast Tularosa Basin forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The McGregor Range RAWS recorded a peak gust of 58 mph.

Dust Storm, Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley

When: March 18, 11:15 AM MST to 5:15 PM MST
Where: Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 32.326, -108.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Interstate 10 was closed at mile marker 20 in the Lordsburg area from blowing dust.

Dust Storm, Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley

When: March 18, 11:20 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 32.353, -106.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread blowing dust dropped visibilities to near zero across southern Dona Ana county. Interstate 10 was closed from Las Cruces west to the Luna county line and New Mexico 9 was closed across the county. The Las Cruces AWOS reported several hours of visibilities at a quarter mile.

High Wind, West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands

When: March 18, 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone
Measured: 88 kt (101 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 32.699, -106.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak gust of 101 mph was recorded at San Augustin Pass. Other gusts across the zone included 91 mph at Salinas Peak, 80 mph at the White Sands Missile Range(WSMR) C-Station, 77 mph at the WHMR Museum, 72 mph at the WSMR Main Post and 65 mph at the Globe Mesonet site.

Dust Storm, East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo

When: March 18, 1:05 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Emergency manager reported US 54 was shut down in both directions between mile marker 85 and 88 due to visibility around 100 yards due to blowing dust. The Alamogordo AWOS also reported a period of less than a quarter mile visibility.

Dust Storm, Southeast Tularosa Basin

When: March 18, 1:30 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Southeast Tularosa Basin forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 3 indirect
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Otero County Emergency Manager reported US 54 was closed in both directions about 6 miles south of Boles Acres due to a pile up involving 5 semi-trucks. This accident was due to visibilities near zero in the area. Three people were transported to the hospital with injuries due to the accident.

High Wind, Sacramento Mountains Above 7500 Feet

When: March 18, 3:50 PM MST
Where: Sacramento Mountains Above 7500 Feet forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 32.613, -105.742 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A video provided by a trained spotter showed a large pine tree had fallen due to the wind.

What these are

Dust Storm: Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.
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

Every storm in New Mexico in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in New Mexico, March 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1246787, 1246794, 1246525, 1246529, 1246530, 1246531, 1246532, 1246534, 1246536, 1246537, 1246545, 1246804, 1246523, 1246810, 1246814, 1246806.