Albuquerque, New Mexico – Drivers across eastern New Mexico will face dangerous crosswinds by 8 a.m. Tuesday as gusts up to 70 mph sweep across highways from Raton Pass to Roswell, threatening travel through 8 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, a High Wind Warning remains in effect from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for much of eastern New Mexico, including Union, Curry, Roosevelt, Quay, Chaves, and Guadalupe counties, along with the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Central Highlands. Southwest to west winds will increase to 35 to 45 mph, with peak gusts reaching 70 mph.
Raton Pass, Glorieta Pass, and stretches of Interstate 40 near Santa Rosa could see sudden, powerful crosswinds. In Clovis, Portales, Tucumcari, and Roswell, blowing dust may reduce visibility below one mile, especially near open fields and the Estancia Valley salt flats.
Falling tree limbs and isolated power outages are possible as wind speeds peak during the late morning and afternoon. High-profile vehicles, including semis and RVs, should delay travel if possible.
Winds are expected to weaken after sunset, but hazardous driving conditions will persist through the evening commute across eastern New Mexico.
