Dust Storm in Chaves County Plains, New Mexico

State Police reported blowing dust and areas with zero visibility on State Highway 2 between Chickasaw and Navajo as well as on the Roswell Relief Route between Sunset Avenue and Brasher Road. This stretch of State Highway 2 was closed during this time.

An upper low moved across the Great Basin and Northern and Central Rockies on May 13th into May 14th with strong winds at the base of the low over New Mexico. Deep daytime mixing allowed strong winds at the base of the low to mix down to the surface mainly during the afternoon through mid-evening hours resulting in gusty winds across western New Mexico and areas along and east of the central mountain chain. A brief high wind gust of 62 mph was observed at the Las Vegas Municipal Airport and a brief 60 mph was observed at the Sevilleta RAWS during the afternoon hours on May 13th. High winds were observed across the south central mountains from the mid-morning to early afternoon hours on May 14th. The gusty winds resulted in blowing dust across southern Chaves County on May 14th during the afternoon and early evening hours resulting in the closure of State Highway 2 at Hagerman. West winds tapered off across the region around sunset.

Key Words: High Winds, Dust Storm.