Albuquerque, New Mexico – 70 mph wind gusts are disrupting travel across central and southern New Mexico through Friday afternoon, with downed trees and power outages expected statewide. East winds between 30 and 40 mph are already creating hazardous driving conditions, especially for high-profile vehicles, while utility crews prepare for scattered outages as the strongest gusts peak before mid-afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service, High Wind Warnings remain in effect across the South Central Highlands, Upper Tularosa Valley, and extend into the Middle Rio Grande Valley, including the Albuquerque metro, where winds will persist until 10 p.m. Friday. Additional warnings stretch east into Curry and Roosevelt counties, where gusts near 60 mph continue to impact rural highways and open areas.
In Albuquerque, drivers along Interstate 25 and Tramway Boulevard face crosswinds strong enough to push vehicles out of lanes. Farther south, Alamogordo, Tularosa, and areas along U.S. 54 are seeing some of the strongest gusts, with wind-prone corridors near the Sacramento Mountains experiencing repeated bursts near 60 mph. Officials urge delaying non-essential travel, securing outdoor objects, and avoiding parking near trees or power lines.
Conditions worsen into southern New Mexico and far west Texas, where El Paso and surrounding areas face gusts up to 65 mph through midnight. Blowing dust is reducing visibility across Transmountain Pass and near the Hueco Mountains, creating sudden whiteout-like driving conditions. In the Guadalupe Mountains, winds could reach 70 mph through early Saturday, with visibility dropping below one mile at times.
Across the Texas Panhandle, including Amarillo, northeast winds up to 65 mph are expected to continue through 7 p.m. Friday, increasing the risk of widespread power outages and dangerous highway travel on I-40 and U.S. 287.
The strongest winds will gradually ease late Friday night for most areas, though mountain regions may see hazardous conditions linger into early Saturday morning. Additional advisories remain possible as wind impacts continue to evolve.
