Powerful winds tore through the New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle on Friday, with gusts approaching 100 mph in some places.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Amarillo said, "Dangerous winds and blowing dust are causing LOTS of issues out there, including accidents, downed power lines and low visibility. Take extreme caution out there!"
Dramatic video from Amarillo showed heavy wind flipping several 18-wheelers like they weigh nothing.
"There goes another one," storm chaser Blake Brown can be heard saying as the wind flips over another big rig.
"Here is a look outside of our office," the NWS in Amarillo posted on X. "Winds at the time of this video were gusting to 83mph, with extensive blowing dust. Blowing dust will lower visibility across the region. A Blowing Dust Warning is now in effect for portions of the southern Texas Panhandle, including the Amarillo area."
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An 84-mph gust was measured at 12:01 p.m. CDT in Friona, which is about 70 miles southwest of Amarillo. An 82-mph gust was recorded in nearby Dimmitt at 11:54 a.m. CDT accompanied by the dust storm, which closed Highway 194.
The weather service reported strong wind gusts in dozens of locations across the region on Friday morning. Gusts to 95 mph hit San Agustin Pass, New Mexico, earlier in the day.
Dust storms were reported across New Mexico, Texas and Colorado, closing roads and causing traffic accidents.
A multi-vehicle pileup was reported on I-27 south of Canyon, Texas, Friday morning during high winds and dust.
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| Dust (yellow) spreads across Texas on around noon CDT on March 14, 2025. (NOAA/CIRA) |
"I've never seen such a large area of 70-mph wind gusts," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
An estimated 90,000 customers in Texas, another 42,000 in Oklahoma and 17,000 in New Mexico were without power as of Friday afternoon, according to Poweroutage.US.
Wind and blowing dust will remain a threat throughout the afternoon and into the evening as a massive storm creates a vast area of strong winds over the central United States that will push the wildfire risk to extreme levels in portions of the southern Plains.
The wind will also continue to create dangerous dust storms that can dramatically increase the risk of high-profile vehicle crashes due to crosswinds and the drastic drop in visibility.
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The wind and dust are dangerous, but AccuWeather meteorologists are concerned about the wildfire risk.
"This is about as an extreme event as there can be," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.
"Friday's wildfire risk covers a large part of the southern Rockies and High Plains and is forecast to reach extreme levels from eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas through central Oklahoma," Lundberg added. The wildfire risk will reach a peak on Friday before easing this weekend.
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Authorities across Texas are urging people who don't need to go outside today to stay home.
"We are strongly discouraging travel on interstate or highways. Wind gusts have been recorded at over 80 mph in Amarillo area. Zero visibility in some areas," The Amarillo Police Dept. posted on X. "Please stay home if possible. If you have to get out, allow extra time to get to your destination. Stay safe Amarillo."
