909  
FXUS64 KEPZ 171127  
AFDEPZ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM  
527 AM MDT THU APR 17 2025  
   
..NEW AVIATION  
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGH TODAY. TEMPERATURES JUST A  
FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL THIS WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND  
BACK ABOVE NORMAL BY 5 TO 7 DEGREES MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF  
NEXT WEEK.  
 
- VERY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH MUCH OF THE WORK WEEK, LOW END  
RAIN/SNOW CHANCES IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND. LOW END RAIN  
CHANCES WEST OF THE DIVIDE ON SATURDAY.  
 
- WINDS WILL BE BREEZY TO WINDY EACH AFTERNOON, WITH VERY WINDY  
CONDITIONS AND BLOWING DUST CONCERNS ON TODAY. WINDY ON FRIDAY  
WITH MORE BLOWING DUST AND FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. BREEZY  
CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY WITH LIGHT WINDS FOR EASTER.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 153 AM MDT THU APR 17 2025  
 
SATELLITE THIS MORNING SHOWING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WITH LIGHTER  
WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING. SOME HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL BE SEEN  
OVER THE LOWLANDS LATER TODAY IN ADVANCE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW  
THAT IS JUST OFF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST THIS MORNING AS THE  
SUBTROPICAL JET LIFT NORTH AND BEGINS TO STRENGTHEN. THE QUICK  
MOVING UPPER TROUGH/LOW OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL MOVE INTO  
THE GREAT BASIN BY THIS AFTERNOON. THE UPPER LOW/TROUGH OFF THE  
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST AND FAST MOVING TROUGH OVER THE PACIFIC  
NORTHWEST WILL MERGE BY TONIGHT. THE MERGED TROUGH WILL SWING  
THROUGH NEW MEXICO FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. IN RESPONSE TO THE  
TROUGH/UPPER LOW, STRONG LEE SIDE CYCLOGENESIS WILL OCCUR OVER  
EASTERN COLORADO LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH  
DETERMINISTIC MODELS SHOW THIS SOLUTION WITH THE GFS SHOWING THE  
SURFACE LOW AT ~989MB, WHILE THE ECMWF SHOWS THE LOW AT ~991MB BY  
OOZ FRIDAY.  
 
THE INCREASED SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL PROMOTE DEEP LAYER  
MIXING THIS AFTERNOON THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN OF SOUTHWESTERN WINDS  
AREAWIDE. WINDS WILL QUICKLY INCREASE AROUND SUNRISE WITH  
SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH IN THE  
LOWLANDS, AND 30 TO 40 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGHER TERRAIN  
AREAS WITH GUSTS UP TO 65MPH THIS AFTERNOON.AA HIGH WIND WARNING  
WILL GO IN EFFECT AT 10 AM THROUGH 8 PM FOR HIGHER TERRAIN OF  
BLACK/GILA RANGE AND THE SAN ANDRES/SACRAMENTO RANGES AS WELL AS  
SIERRA COUNTY. A WIND ADVISORY WILL GO FROM NOON THROUGH 8 PM FOR  
THE LOWLAND AREAS OF SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. THE WIND ORIENTATION OF  
250 TO 270 DEGREES WILL PROMOTE AREAS OF WIDESPREAD DUST OVER THE  
LOWLANDS UP TO WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE WITH AT LEAST A FEW DUST  
STORM WARNINGS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON WITH VISIBILITIES OF ONE  
MILE DOWN TO ONE-QUARTER MILE OR LESS FROM DUST SOURCES ACROSS  
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND NORTHERN CHIHUAHUA STATE IN MEXICO. A  
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY WILL GO IN EFFECT AT 11 AM THROUGH 8 PM FOR  
THE LOWLANDS OF NEW MEXICO UP TO THE TULAROSA BASIN AND WHITE  
SANDS MISSILE RANGE. IN ADDITION TO THE WIND AND DUST HAZARDS  
TODAY, EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ALSO IN THE FORECAST  
TODAY WITH A HIGHER END RED FLAG WARNING GOING IN EFFECT FROM 10  
AM THROUGH 9 PM FOR STRONG WINDS, VERY LOW HUMIDITY, AND  
CRITICALLY DRY FUELS AREAWIDE.  
 
AS WE HEAD INTO FRIDAY, THE UPPER TROUGH/LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE  
GREAT BASIN BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ON FRIDAY  
WILL NOT BE NEAR AS STRONG AS IT WILL BE TODAY,NONETHELESS, AMPLE  
DEEP LAYER MIXING WILL ALLOW FOR WINDY CONDITIONS, BLOWING DUST,  
AND RED FLAG CONDITIONS ON FRIDAY. A WIND ADVISORY WILL GO IN  
EFFECT 11 AM THROUGH 8 PM FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN AND  
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WESTERN TEXAS FOR SOUTHWEST WINDS OF  
25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. IN ADDITION TO THE WIND  
ADVISORY WILL GO IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THOUGH 8 PM THAT WILL  
MIRROR THE WIND ADVISORY WITH VISIBILITIES OF ONE MILE OR LESS AT  
TIMES ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WITH A DUST STORM  
WARNING OR TWO ENTIRELY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. THE FIRE WEATHER  
WATCH FOR FRIDAY HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING AND WILL  
GO IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THROUGH 9 PM DUE TO STRONG WINDS, VERY LOW  
HUMIDITY VALUES, AND CRITICALLY DRY FUELS.  
 
BY FRIDAY NIGHT, THE UPPER TROUGH AND LOW WILL MOVE INTO NEW  
MEXICO WITH THE DEEPER CORE OF MOISTURE CLOSER TO THE LOW. MODELS  
CONTINUE TO SHOW ENOUGH MOISTURE WITH AMPLE DYNAMICS AROUND THE  
BASE OF THE TROUGH PUSHES THROUGH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO FOR WIDELY  
SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY  
MORNING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES. WINDS WILL BE NOT AS STRONG AS  
TODAY AND FRIDAY BUT LIKELY WILL REMAIN BREEZY ON SATURDAY ACROSS  
THE BORDERLAND. BOTH DETERMINISTIC MODELS SHOW THE UPPER TROUGH  
PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA BY SATURDAY NIGHT. MODEL SOLUTIONS FOR  
SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SHOW ZONAL FLOW OR WEAK RIDGING THAT WILL  
LEADING TO QUIET WEATHER WITH LIGHT WINDS AND DRY WEATHER.  
TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND WILL BE A 4 TO 7 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL  
BEFORE A WARMING TO 5 TO 7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL BY EARLY NEXT WEEK  
AND PERSISTING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.  
 
 
   
AVIATION  
 
(12Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 435 AM MDT THU APR 17 2025  
VFR CONDITIONS AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS  
THROUGHOUT THE BORDERLAND. HOWEVER, SHORT PERIODS OF MVFR AND IFR  
VISIBILITIES ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO BLOWING  
DUST NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER. AT THIS TIME, CARRYING  
VISIBILITIES AT 2SM AT KELP, KLRU, AND KDMN AFTER THE 20Z TIME  
FRAME, AND WILL MONITOR SATELLITE AND OBSERVATIONAL TRENDS TO  
AMEND AFOREMENTIONED TAF SITES AS NEEDED. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL  
QUICKLY INCREASE AFTER SUNRISE AT 15 TO 25 KTS WITH GUST TO 30 KTS  
AFTER 15Z. PEAK WINDS AT KLRU AND KDMN OF 30 TO 35 KTS WITH GUSTS  
TO 45 KTS IN THE 20Z-23Z TIMEFRAME. FOR KTCS, WINDS WILL QUICKLY  
INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 20 TO 25 KTS AROUND 15Z AND  
STEADILY INCREASE TO 35 TO 40 KTS BY 20Z WITH GUSTS TO 15 KTS WITH  
PEAK WINDS AROUND 20-23Z TIME FRAME. WINDS WILL STEADILY DECREASE  
TOWARD SUNSET AT OR AROUND 03Z 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS,  
THEN 15 TO 25 KTS AROUND 06Z. SKIES FEW-SCT250 THIS AFTERNOON AND  
EVENING ACROSS TAF SITES CLOSER TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER.  
 
 
   
FIRE WEATHER  
 
ISSUED AT 153 AM MDT THU APR 17 2025  
 
A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING WINDY TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS  
WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH IN THE  
LOWLANDS AND UP TO 65 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS TODAY. THE COMBINATIONS  
OF VERY LOW RH VALUES, WINDY TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS, AND  
CRITICALLY DRY FUELS WILL LEAD TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS  
ACROSS AREAS WEST OF THE RIO GRANDE, WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER  
CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE. A RED FLAG WARNING WILL GO IN EFFECT THIS  
MORNING AT 10 AM UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT DUE TO AFOREMENTIONED FACTORS  
LISTED ABOVE. AS WE HEAD INTO FRIDAY, THE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM  
WILL REACH THE GREAT BASIN BY FRIDAY WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO  
35 MPH WITH GUST TO 40 MPH ALONG WITH VERY LOW RH VALUES AND VERY  
DRY FUELS WILL AGAIN LEAD TO CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER  
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE BORDERLAND.  
 
FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, CRITICAL TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER  
CONDITIONS ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE LOWLANDS AS THE PACIFIC  
STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING SOME MOISTURE AND RAIN/SNOW CHANCES TO THE  
AREA MAINLY ON SATURDAY BRING A MODEST REBOUND IN MIN RH VALUES TO  
THE AREA. FOR SUNDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK, MIN RH VALUES WILL  
RETURN TO SINGLE DIGIT VALUES BUT LIGHT WINDS WILL KEEP FIRE  
WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE NEAR CRITICAL CATEGORY.  
 
 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS  
 
EL PASO 90 59 80 53 / 0 0 10 0  
SIERRA BLANCA 86 58 78 46 / 10 10 10 10  
LAS CRUCES 85 46 75 43 / 0 0 10 0  
ALAMOGORDO 86 51 75 44 / 10 0 10 0  
CLOUDCROFT 63 37 52 30 / 10 0 10 0  
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES 83 47 72 43 / 0 0 0 10  
SILVER CITY 74 40 64 37 / 0 0 0 10  
DEMING 86 46 75 42 / 0 0 0 0  
LORDSBURG 82 44 72 40 / 0 0 0 10  
WEST EL PASO METRO 88 58 78 52 / 0 0 10 0  
DELL CITY 89 57 81 46 / 0 0 10 0  
FORT HANCOCK 94 60 85 48 / 10 0 10 0  
LOMA LINDA 82 54 73 46 / 10 0 10 0  
FABENS 91 57 82 49 / 10 0 10 0  
SANTA TERESA 86 53 77 46 / 0 0 10 0  
WHITE SANDS HQ 87 57 77 51 / 0 0 10 0  
JORNADA RANGE 85 49 75 43 / 0 0 10 0  
HATCH 86 50 76 45 / 0 0 0 0  
COLUMBUS 87 52 77 46 / 0 0 0 0  
OROGRANDE 85 52 75 46 / 10 0 10 0  
MAYHILL 75 45 64 37 / 10 0 10 0  
MESCALERO 73 41 62 34 / 10 0 10 0  
TIMBERON 72 39 62 32 / 10 0 10 0  
WINSTON 73 35 62 30 / 0 0 0 20  
HILLSBORO 81 44 69 40 / 0 0 0 10  
SPACEPORT 83 45 73 40 / 0 0 0 0  
LAKE ROBERTS 73 35 63 33 / 0 0 10 20  
HURLEY 78 39 67 35 / 0 0 0 10  
CLIFF 79 37 70 35 / 0 0 10 20  
MULE CREEK 73 36 64 36 / 0 0 10 30  
FAYWOOD 78 43 67 39 / 0 0 0 10  
ANIMAS 83 47 74 41 / 0 0 0 0  
HACHITA 83 48 72 42 / 0 0 0 0  
ANTELOPE WELLS 82 49 72 41 / 0 0 0 0  
CLOVERDALE 76 46 67 40 / 0 0 0 0  
 
 
   
EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
TX...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS  
EVENING FOR TEXAS FIRE WEATHER ZONE 055 EL PASO COUNTY-  
TEXAS FIRE WEATHER ZONE 056 HUDSPETH COUNTY.  
 
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR  
EASTERN/CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY-WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY.  
 
RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR TEXAS FIRE  
WEATHER ZONE 055 EL PASO COUNTY- TEXAS FIRE WEATHER ZONE  
056 HUDSPETH COUNTY.  
 
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS  
EVENING FOR EASTERN/CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY-WESTERN EL PASO  
COUNTY.  
 
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR  
EASTERN/CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY-NORTHERN HUDSPETH  
HIGHLANDS/HUECO MOUNTAINS-SALT BASIN-WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY.  
 
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR EASTERN/CENTRAL  
EL PASO COUNTY-NORTHERN HUDSPETH HIGHLANDS/HUECO MOUNTAINS-  
SALT BASIN-WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY.  
 
NM...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS  
EVENING FOR CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS/LINCOLN NF/LNZ-  
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE  
VALLEY/BLM/GLZ- SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS/LAS CRUCES  
BLM/GLZ- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/GILA NF/APACHE NF/GLZ.  
 
HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS  
EVENING FOR EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500  
FEET-EASTERN BLACK RANGE FOOTHILLS-SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS  
ABOVE 7500 FEET-SIERRA COUNTY LAKES-SOUTHERN GILA REGION  
HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE-UPLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-WEST CENTRAL  
TULAROSA BASIN/WHITE SANDS-WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS  
BELOW 7500 FEET.  
 
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR  
CENTRAL GRANT COUNTY/SILVER CITY AREA-EAST CENTRAL TULAROSA  
BASIN/ALAMOGORDO-LOWLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-NORTHERN DONA ANA  
COUNTY-OTERO MESA-SOUTHEAST TULAROSA BASIN-SOUTHERN DONA  
ANA COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY-SOUTHERN GILA FOOTHILLS/MIMBRES  
VALLEY-SOUTHWEST DESERT/LOWER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHWEST  
DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN-UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY.  
 
RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR CAPITAN AND  
SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS/LINCOLN NF/LNZ- SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS  
AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY/BLM/GLZ- SOUTHWEST DESERTS  
AND LOWLANDS/LAS CRUCES BLM/GLZ.  
 
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS  
EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL TULAROSA BASIN/ALAMOGORDO-LOWLANDS  
OF THE BOOTHEEL-NORTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY-SOUTHEAST TULAROSA  
BASIN-SOUTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY-SOUTHWEST  
DESERT/LOWER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES  
BASIN-UPLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-WEST CENTRAL TULAROSA  
BASIN/WHITE SANDS.  
 
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR EAST  
CENTRAL TULAROSA BASIN/ALAMOGORDO-EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO  
MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-LOWLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-NORTHERN  
DONA ANA COUNTY-OTERO MESA-SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500  
FEET-SOUTHEAST TULAROSA BASIN-SOUTHERN DONA ANA  
COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY-SOUTHWEST DESERT/LOWER GILA RIVER  
VALLEY-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN-WEST CENTRAL TULAROSA  
BASIN/WHITE SANDS-WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW  
7500 FEET.  
 
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR EAST CENTRAL  
TULAROSA BASIN/ALAMOGORDO-EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS  
BELOW 7500 FEET-LOWLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-NORTHERN DONA ANA  
COUNTY-OTERO MESA-SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET-  
SIERRA COUNTY LAKES-SOUTHEAST TULAROSA BASIN-SOUTHERN DONA  
ANA COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN-  
UPLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-WEST CENTRAL TULAROSA BASIN/WHITE  
SANDS-WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET.  
 
 
 
 
 
FORECASTER...41-KELLY  
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