Dust Storm in Upper Tularosa Valley, New Mexico

Brownout conditions and near zero visibility from blowing dust resulted in the closure of U.S. 54 from mile marker 78, south of Tularosa, to mm 123 near Carrizozo.

A broad upper-level trough moved into the Intermountain West on April 1st with strong mid and upper-level winds at the base of the trough moving over New Mexico. Deep daytime mixing allowed these winds to mix down to the surface. Coupled with a strong pressure gradient across the state south of a 986 mb surface low over eastern Colorado and northeast NM, this resulted in high wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph. The Pacific cold front associated with the system moved across the state during the day with the subsidence behind the front helping to promote the mixing of these winds down to the surface. Once again, these high wind gusts resulted in blowing dust across central and southeast New Mexico. Near zero visibility from blowing dust resulted in the closure of the Roswell Relief route on the southwest side of town, U.S. Highway 285 south of Roswell, and Highway 2 in Hagerman in Chaves County. Near zero visibility from blowing dust also resulted in the closure of U.S. 54 from Carrizozo to Tularosa for several hours. Winds and blowing dust subsided during the evening hours at around sunset as stronger upper-level winds exited east and the surface pressure gradient relaxed.