Weather: Wind gust hits 104 mph at San Augustin Pass; train derails

March 13-- Mar. 13--This story will be updated throughout the day with weather news and notes.

4:47 p.m.

For one resident near Organ, on the 9600 block of Luna Vista Road, off of US 70 -- the winds were so strong, it blew the roof off right over their head.

"I was inside watching TV, crocheting, and all I heard was a big boom!" Luisa Lucero Lira told the Sun-News. "I thought it was by my bedroom and I came outside, and the insulation was flying all over the place -- and then I saw the roof, and I knew that was it."

Lucero Lira said she called her son and grandson to come help her because her other grandson, whom she lives with, was at school.

"My first thought was to get here automatically because I didn't know if the roof caved in or it blew off," Zachaeriah Lira, Luisa's oldest grandson, said. "I was across town paying some bills, and I was getting ready to go to work. It was actually supposed to be my first day, but hopefully they understand."

Lucero Lira said she called the fire department, but that the agency said it was not considered an emergency. She also said she called her insurance company, so they could get an assessment.

"I've lived here since 1992. These winds are terrible. The good thing is I have a lot trees -- if not, all this stuff would be at the neighbors'," she said. "I hope this doesn't happen to anybody else. This is scary."

3:19 p.m.

A widespread windstorm affecting New Mexico and west Texas is shaping up to match yesterday's forecast in terms of wind speeds and the possibility for wind-related damage.

Through 3 p.m., the top wind speed recorded at San Augustin Pass on U.S. Hwy. 70 northeast of Las Cruces was 104 mph. Weather forecasters didn't expect it to get much higher than that throughout the rest of the afternoon.

"It's been windy, as expected; we've had winds over 100 miles per hour at the pass, which is always high," said Joe Rogash, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Santa Teresa station.

In the lowlands, wind speeds have been about 50 to 60 mph.

Some places have had low visibility due to the dust. The weather service had received a report of a semi-truck toppling in northeast El Paso because of the high winds. Cloudcroft had reported downed trees and a power outage.

The winds are expected to decrease this evening, gradually curtailing until midnight. Continued caution is advised.

"Everybody should drive slow and watch out for blowing dust," Rogash said.

2:22 p.m.

In Alamogordo, the Heart of the Desert -- a pistachio and wine retail store -- had its roof damaged by severe wind Wednesday.

2 p.m.

The National Weather Service's Santa Teresa station has reported gusts of 101 mph at San Augustin Pass, northeast of Las Cruces. Sustained wind speeds at the pass were about 85 mph.

Just west of Las Cruces, sustained winds of 40 mph, with gusts up to about 50 mph, were logged about 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, the El Paso International Airport has announced afternoon flights are being affected by the high winds. Travelers should check with their airline on a particular flight's status.

1:10 p.m.

Luisa Lucero Lira, a resident who lives near Organ, discussed with a Sun-News reporter that her roof flew off in today's high winds.

Train derails near I-40

Farther away, near Logan, New Mexico -- which is north of Interstate 40 near the New Mexico-Texas border -- New Mexico State Police have reported a train derailment that wind was a factor in.

The Associated Press reported no one was injured in the derailment.

12:40 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Midland reported a wind gust of 103 mph in Pine Springs in the Guadalupe Mountains. That's off Hwy. 62 between El Paso and Carlsbad.

12:18 p.m.

Wind speeds are picking up in the Las Cruces area, and one resident has reported a roof to a home on the East Mesa was blown off.

At the Las Cruces International Airport, sustained winds of 43 mph, with gusts of 51 mph were reported just before noon. The temperature was 55 degrees.

About 11:50 a.m., a resident reported to authorities that a roof was blown off a home on the East Mesa, according to the police scanner.

Winds are expected to be stronger at higher elevations, such as on the mountains or mountain passes.

Weather officials have said a strong Pacific storm system moving through the region is behind today's wind.

The National Weather Service reports:

Wind speeds will be dangerous and potentially damaging today. Thus a High Wind

Warning is in effect for most of the area today. West winds of 35

to 45 mph with gusts over 70 mph are expected.

Authorities have advised travelers on north-south routes, like I-25 north of Las Cruces and I-10 between Las Cruces and El Paso, could face risks because of the high winds.

Non-essential WSMR employees were released from work at 11 a.m. due to forecasts for extreme wind.

10 a.m.

Wind speeds are moderate so far in Las Cruces.

The following weather conditions have been reported at places around New Mexico, according to Accuweather:

* Las Cruces: partly sunny; 46 degrees; WSW winds at 23 mph; humidity 63%

* Deming: mostly cloudy; 43 degrees; WSW winds at 26 mph; humidity 70%

* Ruidoso: partly sunny; 30 degrees; SW winds at 28 mph; humidity 87%

* Silver City: flurries; 36 degrees; WSW winds at 23 mph; humidity 83%

* Truth Or Consequences: cloudy; 47 degrees; SW winds at 12 mph; humidity 57%

* Holloman Air Force Base: partly sunny; 44 degrees; SW winds at 18 mph; humidity 70%

* Albuquerque: cloudy; 42 degrees; SW winds at 20 mph; humidity 59%

* Santa Fe: cloudy; 34 degrees; WSW winds at 28 mph; humidity 84%

* Farmington: sunny; 39 degrees; W winds at 23 mph; humidity 75%

Highway department officials have reported snowy and slushy road conditions around Silver City on Wednesday morning.

And N.M. Hwy. 152 from Mile Post 21 (about five miles east of San Lorenzo) to Mile Post 39 (Kingston) has been closed because of snow-packed roadways.

9:46 a.m.

Extreme wind expected today, including the possibility for 100 mph winds in San Augustin Pass, has prompted White Sands Missile Range to announce an early release of all "non-essential" personnel.

The installation's non-essential personnel will be released at 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to an announcement from WSMR.

"All workers are asked to exercise caution during their commute home," WSMR said in a statement.

WSMR workers who live in Las Cruces and surrounding areas commute through San Augustin Pass on U.S. 70 on a daily basis.

The WSMR Weather Forecast Office is expecting winds to worsen later today. The strongest winds are predicted to hit between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

WSMR reported gusts of 60 to 70 mph on the main post overnight.

According to the news release:

WSMR leadership considers the safety of its workforce to be a priority and

encourages all personnel to be aware of the driving conditions and exercise

caution on their drive home and for the rest of the day.

Got any weather photos from today you'd like to share? Email them to [email protected].

Tuesday

Tornadoes ripped through southeastern New Mexico on Tuesday. One tornado caused significant damage to homes in the Dexter/Hagerman area in southern Chaves County. Another touched down near Loving in southern Eddy County.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, [email protected] or @AlbaSoular on Twitter. Sun-News reporter Jacqueline Devine contributed to this report.

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