Thunderstorm Wind in Chaves County, New Mexico

The Roswell Air Center recorded a peak wind gust of 66 mph. This was from an outflow boundary spreading east from storms west of town. The wind from the outflow boundary also resulted in blowing dust reducing visibility to 0.25 miles.

A strong upper level high pressure continued to drift east towards west Texas. Southerly flow on the western flank of the upper level high helped bring up some mid-level moisture from Mexico. This mid-level moisture combined with deep daytime mixing and strong surface heating resulted in the development of high based showers and storms in the higher terrain midday June 7th. Outflow from this activity allowed more high based showers and storms to develop in the lower elevations across central and eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and evening hours. This resulted in brief high wind gusts at Albuquerque, Clines Corners, Clayton, and the Harry Mesonet in the White Sands Missile Range. High based shower and thunderstorm activity gradually dissipated around sunset thanks to the loss in instability and daytime heating. More high based showers and thunderstorms developed across southern and eastern NM during the afternoon hours of June 8th. The outflow from shower and storm activity west of Roswell produced several high wind gusts at the Roswell Air Center along with blowing dust across southern Chaves County. The blowing dust reduced visibility at the Roswell Air Center to 1/4 mile and shut down U.S. 285 near Midway and the Roswell Relief Route on the southwest side of town due to multiple vehicle accidents. High based showers and storms gradually dissipated around sunset.

Key Words: Thunderstorm Wind Gust, Dust Storm.