Welcome To Southeast New Mexico Weather.

My youngest daughter took this picture of the "Lucy's Restaurant Sign" that was blown over around 6:30 PM MDT. 
Late Monday afternoon at around 6:25 PM MDT a severe thunderstorm rolled into Carlsbad, New Mexico from the northeast, moving to the southwest. This may seem odd, but its not at all that uncommon in the summertime to see thunderstorms moving south, southwest, or southeast.

NWS MesoWest 24-Hour Rainfall Totals.

Regional Radar Snapshot @ 5 AM MDT This Morning.

RAP 500 MB Analysis @ 5 AM MDT This Morning.

GFS Surface MSLP & Temp Anomaly. Valid @ Noon MDT Saturday.

NWS MesoWest High Temperatures On Monday, June 22, 2015.
My wife and I visited the White Sands National Monument yesterday. Of course we picked one of the hottest days of the year to do so with an afternoon high of 105°F. Never mind the heat we had a blast. We plan on going back this fall when its cooler and can stay for the evening show/walk among the dunes. 
The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

AllisonHouse RTMA Temps @ 4 PM MDT Sunday.

Extreme ranges in temperatures are fairly common in the Southwestern and Western US. This is due to a number of factors but dry air plays a key role especially in the Desert Regions. Such was the case Sunday. Death Valley(NWS Climate Co-Op Station elevation -19' below sea level) reported a high temperature of 122°F. This mornings low temp was 86°F. Interestingly enough Mt. Charleston (NWS Climate Co-OP Stationelevation 7,402' above sea level) reported a low temperature of 30°F Sunday morning. Mt Charleston is 60 miles southeast of Death Valley (as the crow flies) and 25 miles west of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. So that's a 92° temperature change in less than 75 miles, during the normal heating and cooling cycle of a 24-hour day.
 I was unable to find a listing of the Mt. Charleston daily climate co-op data on the Las Vegas, NV Daily Climate Page to verify if this low temperature was correct. When checking the Western Region Climat…

GFS 500 MB Analysis @ 6 AM MDT.
10-Day Forecasts.
We've undergone a transition recently as the jet stream has relaxed and pulled back to the north in Canada, This is allowing our summer time mid-upper level ridge of high pressure to settle in over the Western US. This has allowed the atmosphere to stabilize therefore effectively shutting down our crop of thunderstorms seen recently.
 Our next best chance for rainfall over the southeastern plains will occur by the end of next weekend into the first of the following week (7-10 days from now). A few hit and miss afternoon thunderstorms will pop up over the Guadalupe, Sacramento, and Capitan Mountains from time to time. Until then we will see typical daytime high temps for late June in the mid-upper 90's with a few days topping the century mark next week. 
The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

A Thunderstorm Just Before Sunrise.

Blog Updated 5:35 PM MDT Tue June 16, 2015.













Edna Troublefield Washburn posted these two pictures of downed power lines on my FaceBook Page today. The damage occurred Saturday afternoon, June 13, 2015. About 5 miles west of Lakewood on Rock Daisy Rd. This is the same severe t-storm that I shot my photos of on White Pine Rd, south of this location.
My Time Lapse Video Of The Shelf Cloud.
Finally I got to go out and chase a storm this past Saturday, June 13, 2015. I only had to go 20 miles to the northwest of Carlsbad, NM and ended up on White Pine Rd. I shot the five shelf cloud photos in "Raw Format" using my Cannon EOS Rebel T3i camera. But using this mode I was unable to edit the photos and time stamp them with paint on my computer. Much sharper and better quality images than when using the auto modes. I'm still learning new tricks with this camera. 
On my way back home after my encounter with the shelf cloud and the 60 mph downdraft winds and blowing dust it produced I …