Dust Storm — Chaves County Plains, New Mexico

2024-02-27 · Chaves County Plains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Reports from the Dexter Fire Chief, Chaves County Emergency Manager and County Sheriff showed multiple multi-vehicle crashes between Roswell and Hagerman during this time. The relief route between West McGaffey Street and Sunset Place on the southwest side of Roswell was closed due to near zero visibility at 10:25 MST. A two vehicle crash was reported at 13:35 at Shuswap Road and Old Dexter Highway between Dexter and Hagerman from near zero visibility in blowing dust. A multi-vehicle crash involving seven vehicles was reported at Orchard Park Road and U.S. Highway 285 at 14:30 MST from low visibility in blowing dust. Additional cars became involved by 14:40 MST. Two passengers were trapped in a vehicle fire with one fatality. Responders reported they did not see the vehicle fire initially due to the brownout conditions. At 15:30 MST, another crash involving three vehicles was reported at Wilshire Boulevard and Main Street in Roswell from low visibility in blowing dust. The emergency manager also reported Roswell schools closed 12:00 MST.

Wider weather episode

A very strong segment of the jet stream associated with an upper level system dove down across northern and central NM February 26th and 27th. The leading edge of this system brought sporadic high wind gusts to areas of the northern mountains and eastern plains on the 26th before the main segment brought widespread high wind impacts to nearly all areas of northern and central NM. Only far northwestern NM missed out on any high wind impacts. Peak gusts of 60 to 70 mph were common throughout central and eastern NM on the 27th. Several vehicle crashes coincided with these high gusts, including a semi rollover on I-25 just south of the Albuquerque Sunport, and several crashes from Roswell to Dexter and Hagerman. Near zero visibility from severe blowing dust and brownout conditions was reported at the same time as these accidents in Chaves County between Roswell and Hagerman. One such multi-vehicle crash unfortunately involved a fatality and several injuries. Three Dust Storm Warnings were issued over Chaves County in response to the blowing dust. Winds finally subsided by the late afternoon and early evening of the 27th.

Key Impacts: High winds, dust storm, snow, winter storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1153834. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.