High Wind — Westcentral Mountains, New Mexico

2002-03-08 · Westcentral Mountains, New Mexico

Wider weather episode

Gusty winds swept over northern and central New Mexico causing widespread blowing dust and whipping small fires into uncontrollable blazes. Six people died and 17 others were injured in a chain reaction crash involving 14 cars, several tractor trailers and a school bus on Interstate 40 near Cuervo in Guadalupe County where winds carried smoke from an accidental fire northward over the highway. Visibility was estimated at near zero for about a quarter mile along the highway during the peak of the fire. Several other motorists were injured in McKinley county when their recreational vehicle was blown off the road.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5280732. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.