Dust Storm — Chaves County Plains, New Mexico

2025-01-17 · Chaves County Plains, New Mexico

Event narrative

Blowing dust and brownout conditions caused by strong west winds resulted in the brief closure of the Roswell Relief Route from Sunset Avenue to Brasher Road.

Wider weather episode

An upper level disturbance moved across New Mexico during the day with some stronger mid and upper level winds overhead. Daytime mixing allowed the stronger winds to mix down to the surface resulting in a period of high wind gusts across the central highlands, Sacramento Mountains and east central plains. These strong winds also activated a dust source southwest of Roswell with brownout conditions from the blowing dust resulting in the closure of the Roswell Relief Route between Sunset Avenue to Brasher Road. High winds tapered off during the early evening hours before sunset and the blowing dust in Roswell settled around sunset.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1223366. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.