Carlsbad, NM Haboob 9-1-2020.

- September 03, 2020

Carlsbad, New Mexico.

5:13 PM MDT Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

Looking Northwest From The Entrance To The High School Stadium.

Frontal Haboob.

This past Tuesday afternoon a cold front was marching southward through Southeastern New Mexico. Thunderstorms had developed and quickly dissipated along the frontal boundary northwest-north of Roswell. The outflow boundaries from these collapsing thunderstorms gave an additional kick to the gusty northerly winds along and just behind the southward moving cold front. A peak wind gust of 61 mph was reported by the Roswell Industrial Airport ASOS along with blowing dust (developing Haboob) which reduced the visibility down to 1 3/4 of a mile. As the cold front moved south so did the associated Haboob. The Artesia Airport AWOS reported a peak wind gust of 51 mph along with blowing dust which reduced the visibility down to 1 mile.

Carlsbad, New Mexico.

5:18 PM MDT Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

Looking Northeast From West Church Street At The High School Campus.

Five minutes later my wife and I drove west up Church Street and I took this photo. The Carlsbad Airport ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 46 mph at 5:43 PM MDT. Here the Haboob had engulfed the northern end of the city and was marching steadily south along with the cold front.

Carlsbad, New Mexico.

5:20 PM MDT Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

Looking West From West Church Street Towards The Truck Relief Route.

Two minutes later we were completely engulfed in the dust with the visibility down to 1/4 to 1/2 of a mile at our location. In seven minutes from the time the Haboob entered the northern end of the city until it reached us it dropped the visibility down from 100 miles to 1/4 of a mile.

Since we've only had four inches of rain to date and continue to be in extreme drought conditions, we can expect more of these events with southward moving cold fronts this fall, and maybe even into next spring. Unfortunately, unless conditions change this is only a forerunner or precursor to future like events. Unless of course, we get some widespread soaking rains and snows.