A strong upper low was moving through the Great Basin with a 150 knot jet entering into western New Mexico. A deep surface low over eastern Colorado brought a tight pressure gradient across southern New Mexico bringing wind gusts to 80 mph along with near zero visibilities with blowing dust.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 EPZ wrote it up.
A strong upper low was moving through the Great Basin with a 150 knot jet entering into western New Mexico. A deep surface low over eastern Colorado brought a tight pressure gradient across southern New Mexico bringing wind gusts to 80 mph along with near zero visibilities with blowing dust.
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 6, 4:49 AM MST, 6 hours 1 minute earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service El Paso TX/Santa Teresa NM
449 AM MST Thu Mar 6 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 230 AM MST Thu Mar 6 2025
- Strong southwest winds return today, with gusts 50 to 60 mph in
the afternoon. Widespread blowing dust will reduce visibility
and create dangerous driving conditions along Interstate 10
and US 54 corridors.
- Colder, blustery weather Friday and Saturday with the arrival
of a cold front. Rain and snow showers will bring light
accumulations to the mountains and spotty rain showers will
affect some lowland areas, mainly north and west of El Paso.
- Quieter weather Sunday and Monday, with more strong winds in
the forecast beginning next Tuesday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 230 AM MST Thu Mar 6 2025
Spring windy season is in full swing this forecast. A series of
low pressure systems sweeping across the Southern Rockies will
bring multiple rounds of wind, dust, and fire danger through next
week.
...TODAY...
Today will mark yet another round of strong winds and springtime
weather impacts to the area. Current situation shows a low
pressure system over the Great Basin progressing eastward.
Decoupled jet streak aloft will result in multiple trough
passages, the first occurring later this afternoon.
95-knot jet streak aloft, oriented southwest-to-northeast, will
move overhead today. Surface lee cyclogenesis will develop a 988mb
surface low over eastern CO with a strong pressure gradient
extending south across New Mexico and west Texas. Southwest flow
will increase by the noontime hour today, peaking for much of
southern New Mexico and far west Texas in the early afternoon
hours. Sustained speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
will be common. Mountain passes, elevated terrain, and east slopes
may have gusts exceeding 60 mph. Wind Advisories have been issued
for the majority of the forecast area, with High Wind Warnings for
the Sacramento Mountains and Organ/San Andres east slope
locations.
Given how dry conditions have been, we do expect more blowing
dust especially along the I-10 corridor. Visibility will be very
hazy this afternoon and a few areas may experience dangerous
"brown-out" dust storms. Today will also be the warmest day of the
week, with lowland highs in the lower-to-mid 70s. Given the high
confidence in dust today, Blowing Dust Advisories are in effect
for the entire I-10 and US-54 corridors.
...TOMORROW AND SATURDAY...
Secondary wave arrives on Friday, allowing an upper low on the
backside of the overall trough system to dig further south across
central New Mexico. This will result in yet another windy
afternoon and evening area wide, though a tick lighter than today.
I'm anticipating Wind Advisories will be needed once again for
areas along and east of US-54. Blowing dust may also be a concern.
Given the much closer proximity to this low, precipitation
chances are more favorable. Models show light snow showers
beginning across western New Mexico Friday afternoon, favoring the
high terrain of the Gila and Sacramento Mountain through the
night into Saturday morning. Wrap-around moisture will keep precip
chance going into Saturday morning, once again favoring the
mountain zones and central New Mexico.
QPF is overall light, but accumulating snow is possible for
elevations above 6000 feet ASL . For the Gila, snowfall amounts
late Friday into early Saturday will range from around an inch in
Silver City, and 2 to 4 inches in the high terrain above 7000
feet, including the NM-15 pass across the Pinos Altos Range, and
Emory Pass across the Black Range. For the Sacramento Mountains,
expect around 1 inch along the west-facing slopes down to 6000
feet and 2 to 3 inches at the highest elevations, including
Cloudcroft. The snow will be showery in nature, and the minimal
accumulations will be spread out across 24 hours.
Cold front moving through Friday afternoon will bring much colder
temperatures to begin the weekend. Blustery conditions overnight
will bring temperatures falling below freezing for most of the New
Mexico zones. Snow flurries are possible, but again favoring
locations north of Las Cruces. Well below normal temperatures on
Saturday, with lowland highs only reaching the mid 50s.
Precipitation chance will come to an end Saturday evening as the
upper low exits to our east.
...SUNDAY AND MONDAY...
Upper ridge aloft moves in on Sunday, giving us a break from the
wind and allowing temperatures to quickly rebound back to March
normals. El Paso's high temperatures should get back to the lower
70s by Monday. We also dry out quickly and depending on
precipitation coverage, fire danger will return.
...NEXT WEEK...
Train of progressive weather systems rolls on into next week,
bringing more wind and dust. Windiest days currently look to be
next Tuesday and Thursday. Both the GFS and ECMWF are well timed
with this very progressive springtime pattern.
&&
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 430 AM MST Thu Mar 6 2025
Strong southwest flow with surface winds increasing after noon
today. Winds AOB 10 knots this morning, then 240-260 at 30 knots
sustained and gusts up to 50 knots mid afternoon. Blowing dust
obscuring visibility between 18-00Z, prevailing less than 4 miles
at KELP/KDMN and possibly falling below 1 mile between 20-23Z
this afternoon. Skies generally SCT-BKN180 today, becoming SKC-
FEW200 after 06Z tonight. Winds diminishing after sunset area wide
with visibility returning to VMC. LLWS may need to be included in
future issuances with continued strong mountain-top winds and
surface winds 10-15 knots.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 230 AM MST Thu Mar 6 2025
Critical to Extreme fire danger this afternoon as winds pick up
out of the southwest and combine with critically dry air. ERCs
remain at or above the 90th percentile across southern New Mexico
and local forests, indicating a fire risk more adept to April-May.
Sustained wind speeds 30 to 40 mph with peak gusts up to 60 mph
mid-afternoon. Red Flag Warnings have been issued for the NM
lowland zones and Lincoln National Forest.
Cold front arriving from the west on Friday will bring additional
moisture and much colder temperatures, alleviating fire danger
somewhat despite continued strong winds. Southwest winds 25 to 35
mph on Friday, then northwest 15 to 25 mph on Saturday. Scattered
rain and snow showers Friday night into Saturday will bring
additional relief to the Gila and Lincoln Forests, with light
snow accumulations above 6000 feet ASL. Quieter weather
Sunday/Monday as winds diminish and dry weather returns. More
strong winds and likely critical fire danger expected next week.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
El Paso 77 45 68 38 / 0 0 10 20
Sierra Blanca 75 38 68 32 / 0 0 0 10
Las Cruces 72 36 61 30 / 0 0 10 20
Alamogordo 72 36 63 28 / 0 0 10 30
Cloudcroft 48 25 40 17 / 0 10 20 40
Truth or Consequences 69 37 58 33 / 0 0 30 40
Silver City 60 31 47 26 / 20 20 70 50
Deming 70 35 60 30 / 0 0 40 30
Lordsburg 68 31 55 28 / 10 20 70 40
West El Paso Metro 75 45 67 38 / 0 0 10 20
Dell City 77 39 69 32 / 0 0 0 0
Fort Hancock 81 39 74 34 / 0 0 0 10
Loma Linda 69 39 61 31 / 0 0 0 10
Fabens 79 40 71 35 / 0 0 0 10
Santa Teresa 73 40 65 34 / 0 0 10 20
White Sands HQ 74 43 65 36 / 0 0 10 20
Jornada Range 72 36 62 30 / 0 0 20 20
Hatch 74 37 63 32 / 0 0 20 30
Columbus 73 39 64 34 / 0 0 40 20
Orogrande 72 38 63 31 / 0 0 10 10
Mayhill 62 32 53 22 / 0 0 10 30
Mescalero 59 28 50 20 / 0 0 20 50
Timberon 59 25 50 17 / 0 0 10 30
Winston 59 24 49 19 / 10 10 40 50
Hillsboro 67 33 56 28 / 0 10 40 40
Spaceport 70 32 60 27 / 0 0 20 20
Lake Roberts 59 28 47 23 / 20 30 70 60
Hurley 64 28 52 25 / 10 10 60 40
Cliff 66 27 53 22 / 20 30 70 50
Mule Creek 59 29 46 24 / 30 40 70 60
Faywood 64 32 53 28 / 10 10 50 40
Animas 69 34 57 28 / 10 10 70 40
Hachita 69 34 58 28 / 0 10 60 20
Antelope Wells 68 37 58 29 / 0 0 70 40
Cloverdale 61 36 49 28 / 10 10 70 30
&&
.EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening
for Eastern/Central El Paso County-Northern Hudspeth
Highlands/Hueco Mountains-Rio Grande Valley of Eastern El
Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties-Western El Paso County.
Blowing Dust Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this
evening for Eastern/Central El Paso County-Northern
Hudspeth Highlands/Hueco Mountains-Rio Grande Valley of
Eastern El Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties-Rio Grande Valley
of Eastern Hudspeth County-Salt Basin-Southern Hudspeth
Highlands-Western El Paso County.
Red Flag Warning from noon today to 7 PM MST this evening for
Texas Fire Weather Zone 055 El Paso County- Texas Fire
Weather Zone 056 Hudspeth County.
NM...Wind Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this evening
for Central Grant County/Silver City Area-East Central
Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo-Eastern Black Range Foothills-
Lowlands of the Bootheel-Northern Dona Ana County-Otero
Mesa-Sierra County Lakes-Southeast Tularosa Basin-Southern
Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley-Southern Gila
Foothills/Mimbres Valley-Southern Gila Region
Highlands/Black Range-Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River
Valley-Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin-Uplands of the
Bootheel.
Blowing Dust Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this
evening for East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo-Lowlands
of the Bootheel-Northern Dona Ana County-Otero Mesa-
Southeast Tularosa Basin-Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla
Valley-Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley-Southwest
Desert/Mimbres Basin-West Central Tularosa Basin/White
Sands.
Red Flag Warning from noon today to 7 PM MST this evening for
Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln NF/LNZ- South
Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ-
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ.
High Wind Warning from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM MST this
evening for East Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500
Feet-Sacramento Mountains Above 7500 Feet-West Central
Tularosa Basin/White Sands-West Slopes Sacramento Mountains
Below 7500 Feet.
&&
FORECASTER...30-DennhardtThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 dust storm, 3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous areas across southern Dona Ana county experienced near zero visibilities including at the Santa Teresa NWS Office, near Mesilla and along Interstate 10 west of Las Cruces which was closed due to low visibilities.
Interstate 10, Highway 180, Highway 11 and Highway 26 were all closed across Luna county due to near zero visibilities in blowing dust.
Interstate 10 was closed across the Lordsburg Playa due to blowing dust from the state line to Lordsburg.
The Salinas Peak Mesonet site reported a peak gust of 80 mph. Some other gusts across the zone include 76 mph at San Augustin Pass, 66 mph at the White Sands Missile Range Building 1830 and 61 mph at the Globe Mesonet site.
The ASOS at the Deming Airport reported a peak gust of 61 mph.
Highway 26 was closed across the county due to near zero visibilities.
The Truth or Consequences Airport ASOS reported a peak gust of 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, March 2025
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: 1245915, 1245913, 1245914, 1245876, 1245877, 1245916, 1245879.