A strong front moved across the area during the early morning hours of the 27th. This yielded a period of high winds at Carlsbad Caverns, along with brief high winds elsewhere in Eddy County.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 strong front moved across the area during the early morning hours of the 27th. This yielded a period of high winds at Carlsbad Caverns, along with brief high winds elsewhere in Eddy County.
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 27, 12:21 AM MST, 1 hour 47 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
221 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, FIRE WEATHER...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 202 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
- A strong cold front sweeps through the region this morning,
bringing very windy conditions to the area (especially the
Guadalupe Pass) and a much cooler weekend.
- Blowing dust is forecast areawide today behind the cold front,
making for dangerous travel conditions (visibilities down to one
mile or less expected).
- Warm temperatures and breezy conditions are forecast each
afternoon through Tuesday. Temperatures cool down with the
arrival of a storm system midweek.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Saturday afternoon)
Issued at 221 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
A front is currently making its way across the Texas Panhandle this
morning. In the next couple of hours, this front will start moving
across northern portions of the Permian Basin and southeast New
Mexico (in fact, it has already reached northern Lea County). Strong
winds (with gusts up to 50-55 mph) have been measured along and
behind the front. Though little in the way of blowing dust has been
observed farther north so far, we still anticipate dusty conditions
to accompany the stronger winds as the boundary moves across our
area. As a result, no significant changes were made to the existing
Wind Advisory, Blowing Dust Advisory, and the High Wind Warning for
the Guadalupe Mountains. Gusty northerly to northeasterly winds will
persist throughout the day today, and much cooler conditions can be
expected areawide. Given the timing of the front and the continual
cold air advection this afternoon, many of today's high temperatures
will actually be realized early this morning as opposed to this
afternoon. Temperatures remain in the 50s and low-to-mid 60s today
for most locations. Farther south closer to the Rio Grande, highs in
the 70s will be more commonplace.
Friday night, lows bottom out in the upper 30s and low-
to-mid 40s for most. Guidance still indicates a low (10-30%) chance
of light rain Friday night, though rainfall totals would be
negligible with any shower that does occur. Temperatures remain
below seasonal norms Saturday. Most locations top out in the mid-to-
upper 60s and low 70s as return flow starts to redevelop Saturday
afternoon.
Sprang
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Saturday night through Thursday)
Issued at 221 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
Saturday night, surface high pressure transitions east of our area,
while a lee trough begins to take shape near the Panhandle. These
steer southerly winds across our region, allowing temperatures to
rebound. Saturday night will see temperatures largely in the 40s
again, though our southern counties shall only slip into the 50s.
Sunday, the aforementioned surface low deepens, leading to breezy
southwesterly winds over the eastern Permian Basin during the
afternoon. Sunday's highs are forecast to top out in the 80s (90s
along the Rio Grande), with lows then falling to the 50s Sunday
night. The surface low continues to deepen Monday, resulting in
breezy southerly winds again Monday afternoon. Expect afternoon
highs to reach into the upper 80s to 90s (over the Trans Pecos and
along the Rio Grande). By Tuesday, westerly downsloping winds allow
highs in the 90s to spread to include the Permian Basin.
Temperatures drop back a touch Wednesday due to lowering heights
associated with an approaching upper trough. Highs in the 80s become
more dominant Wednesday afternoon, along with the potential of
isolated (10-20%) shower development regionwide late Wednesday
afternoon and evening. Thursday, highs in the 80s look to prevail.
&&
.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1224 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
VFR conditions persist for the next 4-6 hours. By 10-12Z, a front
makes its way through the area, bringing with it strong winds and
BLDU. Gusts at or above 40 kts can be expected at all sites through
much of the morning. Have went ahead and included TEMPO groups for
all TAF sites for IFR VIS as well (with prevailing MVFR VIS). VFR
conditions are expected to return later in the afternoon, though
exactly when VFR VIS returns remains questionable. A broken cloud
deck of 4-7 kft is still expected during the afternoon as well.
Winds remain gusty through the afternoon, but gradually weaken
during the evening and towards the end of the TAF period.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 221 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
A cold front sweeps through the area this morning, bringing gusty
winds out of the north/northeast. There is a possibility of
isolated critical fire weather conditions along/behind the front
as the front moves through initially, particularly over southeast
New Mexico and far west Texas. RH values in these locations
currently remain below critical thresholds, though are expected to
recover as the front pushes in. Temperatures fall below normal
Friday and minRHs improve overall during the day, lowering fire
weather concerns.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Big Spring 59 43 65 48 / 0 20 10 0
Carlsbad 62 45 69 44 / 0 0 0 0
Dryden 76 49 69 49 / 10 20 10 0
Fort Stockton 68 44 69 50 / 10 10 0 0
Guadalupe Pass 58 38 64 49 / 0 0 0 0
Hobbs 57 41 67 43 / 0 0 0 0
Marfa 66 33 69 38 / 0 10 0 0
Midland Intl Airport 61 43 66 49 / 0 10 10 0
Odessa 60 44 66 49 / 0 10 10 0
Wink 63 43 67 47 / 0 0 0 0
&&
.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...Blowing Dust Advisory until 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ this evening for
Andrews-Borden-Central Brewster-Chinati Mountains-Crane-
Davis Mountains-Davis Mountains Foothills-Dawson-Eastern
Culberson-Ector-Gaines-Glasscock-Guadalupe Mountains Above
7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-Howard-Loving-
Marfa Plateau-Martin-Midland-Mitchell-Pecos-Reagan-Reeves
County Plains-Scurry-Terrell-Upton-Van Horn and Highway 54
Corridor-Ward-Winkler.
High Wind Warning until 7 AM CDT /6 AM MDT/ Saturday for
Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware
Mountains.
High Wind Watch Saturday morning for Guadalupe Mountains Above
7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains.
Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for Andrews-Borden-
Central Brewster-Chinati Mountains-Chisos Basin-Crane-Davis
Mountains-Davis Mountains Foothills-Dawson-Eastern
Culberson-Ector-Gaines-Glasscock-Howard-Loving-Marfa
Plateau-Martin-Midland-Mitchell-Pecos-Reagan-Reeves County
Plains-Scurry-Terrell-Upton-Van Horn and Highway 54
Corridor-Ward-Winkler.
NM...Blowing Dust Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for Central
Lea-Eddy County Plains-Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County-
Northern Lea-Southern Lea.
High Wind Warning until 6 AM MDT Saturday for Guadalupe
Mountains of Eddy County.
High Wind Watch Saturday morning for Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy
County.
Wind Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for Central Lea-Eddy
County Plains-Northern Lea-Southern Lea.
&&
SHORT TERM...13
LONG TERM....95
AVIATION...13The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The West Texas Mesonet station 164 Carlsbad Caverns NP measured numerous high winds gusts and sustained winds over 40 mph, including a 72 mph wind gust.
The Mesonet/RAWS station CPPN5 measured a 58 mph wind gust. The total time of occurrence is partially estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, March 2026
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: 1314765, 1314763.