Extremely Critically Dangerous Fire Weather Conditions Today!
Update At 6:00 PM MST Today-
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All signs pointed to a really ugly day weather-wise today across SE NM & W TX. The reality was that is wasn't nearly as bad as the forecasts were calling for. Most reporting stations recorded peak wind gusts today in the 35-45 mph range instead of the 50-55 mph that we were expecting.
Thankfully as far as I am aware of, the countryside didn't burn down from the Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains eastward to the NM/TX State line.
Yesterday's skies were chocked full of dust but today's were not, and this was a good thing. I never get upset when the wind/dust/fire forecasts fall a little short of expiations. There were a lot of nervous folks watching the Silver City fires and hoping this wasn't going to be our turn here in SE NM today...it wasn't thankfully!
Another Bad Day On Tap For SE NM & W TX!
For The Guadalupe Mtn's
SW-W Winds 40-55G75 MPH!
Eddy-Lea-Culberson-Chaves-Lincoln Co's
As Well As Southern NM.
SW-W Winds 25-35G50-55 MPH Today,
Becoming W-NW This Afternoon!
Valid From 8 AM - 8 PM MST.
Areas Of Blowing Dust May Reduce
The Visibility Down To Less Than One Mile!
Southern-Southeastern NM.
As Well As West Texas.
Critically To Extremely Critically Dangerous
Fire Weather Conditions!
Potential For Wind Driven Fires!
An upper-level trough of low pressure will swing across northern New Mexico today. A second cold front will drop into southeastern New Mexico this afternoon. Our high temperatures are forecast to be in the low 70's today.
Strong winds raked the area yesterday afternoon. The automated gauge at San Augustin Pass located east of Las Cruces in the Organ Mountains, recorded a peak gust to 92 mph. Guadalupe Pass recorded a gust to 82 mph. A gust to 70 mph was recorded in northeast El Paso. See yesterdays post for a listing of the peak gusts recorded around the local area.
Strong southwesterly-westerly winds will start to howl across the local area shortly after sunrise this morning as the upper-level storm approaches. A Wind Advisory has been issued for SE NM for today. These winds are forecast to gust up to near 50-55 mph across SE NM today. Gusts of up to around 75 mph are anticipated across the Guadalupe Mountains.
With the strong and gusty winds comes the threat for blowing dust as well. A Blowing Dust Advisory has been issued for SE NM from 8 AM MST this morning until 8 PM MST this evening. Areas of blowing dust will once again darken the skies across the local area today as the winds howl. Sudden drops in the visibility down to less than one mile with little to no advanced warning will be possible in some locations. This will be especially true near open or freshly plowed farmlands, fields, open lots and construction sites, as well as other dust prone areas.
We are facing another day of Extremely Critically Dangerous Fire Weather Conditions across SE NM and parts of West Texas today! There will be the potential for wind driven fires across the area today should any accidental fires break out. This is an extremely dangerous situation and the public is strongly urged to refrain from any type of outdoor activity that involves the use of sparks or flame!
At least 12 homes have burned south of Silver City, New Mexico since yesterday afternoon as a grass fire there continues to grow and spread. The fire was estimated to have burned up to 1,000 acres as of late yesterday evening. See this links for additional details. KRQE News 13 in Albuquerque. KOAT TV 7 in Albuquerque. Eyewitness 4 KOB in Albuquerque.
The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!
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