A broad western United States trough and an intense surface low pressure over the central Great Plains resulted in westerly high winds and blowing dust over a large portion of Southeast New Mexico and West Texas.
Every event with a place to put it; 36 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 MAF wrote it up.
A broad western United States trough and an intense surface low pressure over the central Great Plains resulted in westerly high winds and blowing dust over a large portion of Southeast New Mexico and West Texas.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 13, 11:27 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
1227 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1214 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
- Strong to damaging winds develop across the region beginning
tonight across the mountains and then spreading eastward during
the day on Friday. Widespread blowing dust expected.
- Strong winds, very dry air, and critically dry fuels combine for
critical to extreme fire weather conditions during the day on
Friday. Do not burn and avoid activities with open sparks!
- Late this weekend and into early next week, we begin a warming
trend ahead of another upper level system that looks to arrive
Tuesday/Wednesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Friday night)
Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Mar 13 2025
Synoptic Setup:
Latest upper-level water vapor imagery shows a mid-
level ridge over the region with a digging trough entering the
California Coast. This trough is expected to make its way into the
area by tomorrow morning and transitioning to a lifting trough as it
enters the far western Southern Plains. Coincidentally, the trough
will push a cold front through overnight tonight bringing in near
normal temperatures for this time of year.
Strong winds tomorrow:
The positioning of the lifted trough will generate amplified mid
and low-level jets leeward of the trough over west Texas and
southeast New Mexico. HREF and other deterministic guidance is in
agreement with a 100-120 kt 500mb jet developing over parts of
southeast New Mexico, along with a 40-60 kt 850mb jet developing
over much of the region early tomorrow morning. These amplified
jets will provide widespread strong winds regionwide. There is
medium (40-60%) confidence of winds reaching High Wind Warning
criteria (40 mph sustained and/or 60 mph wind gusts) across the
Permian Basin. Therefore, the High Wind Watch has been upgraded to
a High Wind Warning for areas across the Permian Basin tomorrow.
A Wind Advisory is also in effect for areas in the Lower Trans
Pecos, Big Bend area, and Presidio Valley. These strong winds also
create widespread critical fire weather conditions and blowing
dust concerns throughout the morning and afternoon hours tomorrow.
Tomorrow night:
Winds gradually decrease to breezy westerly winds after sunset
areawide as the trough moves further to the northeast. Cooler air
behind the front arrives into the region, dropping low
temperatures to slightly normal for this time of year.
Lamberson
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Saturday through Wednesday)
Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Mar 13 2025
By Saturday morning, wind speeds will be lower than what will be
seen on Friday, but breezy and gusty conditions prevail for the day.
Dry, northwest winds behind a front that will have come through the
night before, keep highs in the 60s for most with 50s holding on
over the higher terrain. Lingering, weak showers may be seen over
the western zones during the day on Saturday, but chances continue
to remain low(10-30%). Any precipitation that does fall will be
light and totals end up around one to two hundredths. High pressure
moves in for the rest of the weekend and temperatures jump into the
70s on Sunday and then well above normal into the 80s on Monday.
As high pressure begins to slide to the east late Monday and into
Tuesday southerly to southwesterly winds begin to pick up areawide.
Tuesday looks to be the warmest day of the forecast with most into
the mid to upper 80s and some spots reaching the low 90s for the
first time this year. Strong winds become likely Tuesday as another
system approaches from the west. As the pattern progresses during
the middle of next week, another front moves through, augmenting
temperatures closer to normal to end the week. Despite the possible
passage of another front, guidance continues to suggest that
precipitation chances remain low(<10%).
-Stickney
&&
.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1214 AM CDT Fri Mar 14 2025
VFR conditions prevail tonight through around sunrise at most
sites. Westerly winds will increase significantly over the next
few hours. CNM will start seeing its strongest winds by 09Z. As a
result, went ahead and put prevailing MVFR into CNM's TAF for BLDU
at that time. Other sites can also expect MVFR visibility
restrictions due to BLDU to commence by 12Z-14Z. Visibility
restrictions will continue throughout the day as winds remain both
strong and very gusty. Some sites may temporarily experience IFR
conditions, though confidence in timing is too low to include in
the TAF right now. Winds diminish somewhat tomorrow evening around
sunset, though they will remain gusty through the end of the TAF
period. VFR conditions return by tomorrow night.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Mar 13 2025
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for today as critically low RHs,
windy conditions, and above normal temperatures combine for a
favorable environment for fire growth and spread, particularly for
areas west of the Pecos River Valley. For tomorrow, will upgrade the
current Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning for the entire CWA.
A potent upper level system moves into the region tonight with a
strengthening mid-level jet moving overhead. Winds ramp up tonight
with strong to damaging wind gusts developing during the day on
Friday. With no wetting rains, continued poor recoveries, and
critically low RHs, the stage is set for a critical to extreme fire
weather environment during the afternoon tomorrow for SE NM and all
of West Texas. ERCs across much of West Texas remain above the 90th
percentile. Wind gusts forecast into the 50-60mph range for SE NM
and the Permian Basin will allow small fires to grow rapidly. Winds
begin to slowly decrease late Friday evening, but breezy conditions
will remain into Saturday.
A Pacific front pushes through late Friday and while this does
slightly improve moisture over the western half of the CWA for
Saturday, it is a short lived improvement. Critical min RHs return
on Sunday and hold into next week. Temperatures quickly move back
above normal allowing already dry fuels to continue to cure. The
biggest positive regarding fire weather conditions on Sunday and
Monday will be lighter winds keeping concerns low to elevated.
However, Tuesday and Wednesday see breezy conditions return and thus
a likely return to the issuance of fire weather products for much of
the area.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Big Spring 69 43 63 39 / 0 0 0 0
Carlsbad 61 39 62 37 / 0 0 20 0
Dryden 80 48 71 45 / 0 0 0 0
Fort Stockton 71 44 64 43 / 0 0 20 0
Guadalupe Pass 51 34 51 35 / 10 10 40 0
Hobbs 63 35 59 36 / 0 0 20 0
Marfa 63 37 57 33 / 0 0 20 0
Midland Intl Airport 66 41 62 40 / 0 0 10 0
Odessa 66 41 62 41 / 0 0 10 0
Wink 68 41 65 37 / 0 0 20 0
&&
.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...High Wind Warning until 1 AM CDT /midnight MDT/ Saturday for
Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware
Mountains.
Red Flag Warning from noon CDT /11 AM MDT/ today to 9 PM CDT /8
PM MDT/ this evening for Andrews-Borden-Central Brewster-
Chinati Mountains-Chisos Basin-Crane-Davis Mountains-Davis
Mountains Foothills-Dawson-Eastern Culberson-Ector-Gaines-
Glasscock-Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and
Delaware Mountains-Howard-Loving-Lower Brewster County-
Marfa Plateau-Martin-Midland-Mitchell-Pecos-Presidio Valley-
Reagan-Reeves County Plains-Scurry-Terrell-Upton-Van Horn
and Highway 54 Corridor-Ward-Winkler.
High Wind Warning until 1 AM CDT Saturday for Davis Mountains-
Davis Mountains Foothills-Eastern Culberson-Loving-Reeves
County Plains-Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor.
High Wind Warning from 7 AM this morning to 7 PM CDT this
evening for Andrews-Borden-Crane-Dawson-Ector-Gaines-
Glasscock-Howard-Martin-Midland-Mitchell-Reagan-Scurry-
Upton-Ward-Winkler.
Wind Advisory from 7 AM this morning to 7 PM CDT this evening
for Central Brewster-Chinati Mountains-Chisos Basin-Lower
Brewster County-Marfa Plateau-Pecos-Presidio Valley-Terrell.
NM...High Wind Warning until midnight MDT Friday night for Guadalupe
Mountains of Eddy County.
Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Friday for Chaves Plains-
Eddy Plains-Lea-Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe
Mountains.
High Wind Warning until midnight MDT Friday night for Central
Lea-Eddy County Plains-Northern Lea-Southern Lea.
&&
SHORT TERM...11
LONG TERM....93
AVIATION...13The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
33 high wind, 3 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A maximum wind gust of 95 MPH was observed at the RAWS station, GDBT2 The Bowl, in the Guadalupe Mountains.
A maximum wind gust of 87 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet station, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, near Guadalupe Pass.
A maximum wind gust of 89 MPH was observed at the RAWS station, PSGT2 Pinery.
A maximum wind gust of 67 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 3WNW Fluvanna.
A maximum wind gust of 63 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet Station, 2SE Gail.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was reported at the CWOP site, FW9693 Pyote.
A maximum wind gust of 61 MPH was reported at the RAWS station, FRKT2 Gail.
A maximum wind gust of 66 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 3E Snyder.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was observed at the Seminole AWOS.
A maximum wind gust of 64 MPH was reported at the Snyder-Winston Airport ASOS.
A maximum wind gust of 67 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 3SSW Snyder.
A maximum wind gust of 61 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 2WNW Tarzan.
A maximum wind gust of 67 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 1WSW Seagraves.
A maximum wind gust of 66 MPH was reported at the West Texas Mesonet station, Welch Dawson County.
A maximum wind gust of 60 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 2N Seminole.
A maximum wind gust of 63 MPH was observed by the West Texas Mesonet site, 1S Lamesa.
A maximum wind gust of 66 MPH was observed at the Midland International Air & Space Port ASOS.
A maximum wind gust of 64 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 2E Andrews.
A maximum wind gust of 63 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 20WSW Orla.
A maximum wind gust of 66 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 5NW Colorado City.
A maximum wind gust of 66 MPH was reported at the CWOP station, FW9692 Pecos.
A maximum wind gust of 62 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 1SSE Lomax.
A maximum wind gust of 61 MPH was reported at the Lamesa AWOS.
State Highway 349 was reportedly shut down between Rankin and Midkiff due to high winds and near-zero visibility from blowing dust. Wind speeds were observed to be 60 MPH in the area.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was reported at the Union Pacific Railroad observation station, UP294 Midway.
A maximum wind gust of 59 MPH was observed at the Andrews County Airport AWOS.
Multiple social media reports and photos of vehicle accidents due to near-zero visibility, caused by blowing dust along US Highway 87 in the Big Spring area. The time and location are approximate. The property damage cost is an estimation.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was observed at the Big Spring AWOS.
A maximum wind gust of 63 MPH was observed at the CWOP site, FW9685 Odessa.
A maximum wind gust was observed at the Odessa ASOS.
An advertisement billboard was destroyed, blocking a traffic lane along State Highway 349 in north Midland. Wind speeds were estimated to have been approximately 60 MPH. The property damage cost is an estimation.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was observed at the Union Pacific Railroad observation site, UR209 4NW Lomax.
A maximum wind gust of 58 MPH was observed at the Union Pacific Railroad observation station, UR098 3.3 NW Greenwood.
A maximum wind gust of 64 MPH was observed at the West Texas Mesonet site, 5SW Saint Lawrence.
Due to blowing dust and near-zero visibility, there were continued reports of traffic slowdowns and road closures along State Highway 137 in western Glasscock County. Wind speeds were observed to be 60 MPH in the region.
A maximum wind gust of 59 MPH was observed at the Winkler County Airport ASOS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, 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: 1243019, 1243004, 1243020, 1243006, 1243005, 1243011, 1243001, 1243014, 1243028, 1243013, 1243012, 1243022, 1243029, 1243003, 1243030, 1243008, 1243021, 1243007, 1243009, 1243016, 1243015, 1243026, 1243002, 1242981, 1243023, 1243018, 1242984, 1243024, 1243032, 1243031, 1242982, 1243025, 1243017, 1243027, 1242983, 1243010.