Dust Storms in Texas and New Mexico Raise Fire Risks

Bone-dry winds ripped through parts of Texas and New Mexico, causing dust storms and hazardous driving conditions. Forecasters warned that the risk of fires in the dry region would continue into Wednesday.

Blowing dust in Lubbock, Texas, reduced visibility to near zero and moved into southwest Oklahoma on Tuesday night, prompting blowing dust warnings in parts of the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma until early Wednesday.

Authorities in New Mexico advised against driving through severe dust storms that hit the state on Tuesday, leading to dangerous driving conditions and road closures. The National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, warned of visibility dropping to half a mile or less on Tuesday night, especially in southwest Oklahoma.

Severe weather and accidents forced the closure of Highway 54 in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Over 35,000 customers in New Mexico and Texas were without power on Tuesday night, with a red flag warning in place for parts of several states until Thursday.

Wind gusts of over 60 miles per hour were expected in Texas’s Panhandle and northwest overnight, with the potential for new fires and continued dust storms. Firefighters faced challenges as wind direction was set to shift in some areas in the southern Plains.

Damaging winds were also forecast for Oklahoma and West Kansas. In Hutchinson County, Texas, a fire near Borger prompted evacuation orders for residents, while another fire in northern Dallam County more than doubled in size to about 15,000 acres.

The fire in Dallam County was 50 percent contained by Tuesday night, with roads closed due to low visibility from blowing dust and wildfire smoke. The Texas A&M Forest Service provided updates on containment efforts as the fire continued to spread.