Monsoon Safety Awareness Week: High Winds
The Sun City is no stranger to strong winds, especially in the spring months.
El Paso typically sees its windiest weather in March and April. The fact that the winds generally subside before the monsoon begins doesn’t mean the area isn’t still susceptible to dangerous gusts.
The threat for winds in the summer predominantly comes from thunderstorms, instead of large-scale weather systems as the area sees in the spring.
These thunderstorms can have embedded strong gusts up to 70 mph. Storms can also form outflow boundaries, also called gust fronts, which are pockets of cooler air that spread out from underneath the thunderstorm and can travel hundreds of miles.
These gust fronts not only contain high wind gusts, but also can spark new thunderstorms by lifting warm air out ahead of the boundary. These new thunderstorms can also contain dangerous winds.
High winds can be hazardous in and of themselves, but they can also create other problems.
“The greatest danger is the blowing dust, especially when you are driving.” said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Rogash.
Dust storms can create the same hazards as dense fog.
“You can go from relatively clear skies and suddenly have a big gust of wind come out of a thunderstorm and kick up dust so thick that it’s almost like driving into a sudden fog bank.” said dust researcher and UTEP professor Tom Gill.
Those dust storms may last just a few minutes, but they can make for dangerous driving conditions.
The National Weather Service advises motorists caught in a dust storm to safely pull off to the side of the road and turn off your vehicle. This will help prevent other motorists from following your brake lights and crashing into your vehicle.
For more dust storm safe driving tips, click here.
As with any monsoon hazard, staying informed is the key to staying safe.
“Always get a weather forecast, not only for where you are but where you’re going. Keep an eye on the sky and listen for weather forecast updates.” said Rogash.
Monsoon season begins June 15 in the borderland.
