Near Hurricane Force Wind Gusts for New Mexico, Texas

By Dan Depodwin, Meteorologist

January 11,2013; 6:35AM,EST

Howling winds out of the west will race across the western Plains on the southern side of a gathering storm that will bring blizzard conditions to the northern Plains.

Gusts up to 65 mph are likely in a corridor from northwest New Mexico to southeast Kansas across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. Larger cities that can be rocked by the winds include Clovis and Las Vegas, N.M., Amarillo, Texas, Lamar, Colo., and Dodge City, Kan.
While not everyone will have wind gusts to 65 mph, even gusts as strong as 40 and 50 mph can cause significant problems.
Blowing dust will be an issue in some places, significantly reducing visibility. Motorists using I-25 and I-40 should take extra caution today due to the high winds.
Big rigs should be especially careful due to the strong crosswinds on I-25.
These wind gusts also have the potential to down trees and power lines.
Very chilly Canadian air will accompany these strong winds. The combination of gusty winds and temperatures in the 30s will make it feel 10 to 20 degrees colder in parts of New Mexico, certainly prompting residents to bundle up.

One more mild day of weather is expected farther east in Texas before the cold air rushes in. This cold shot is the first in a series of arctic blasts headed eastward.

Very windy conditions are not that uncommon in this region of the nation, especially during the winter. The clash of air masses across the area, developing storms, and barren landscape make it an ideal area for air to rush across.
Aside from the 65-mph wind gusts in the western Plains, blizzard conditions will unfold farther north later today into Friday night. While gusts are expected to only top out near 40 mph in this area, the combination of wind and snow will make for hazardous travel.
By Saturday, the gusty winds should shift into the Great Lakes but begin to slacken as well.