High winds don’t stop Las Crucens from holiday shopping
Time is running out for last-minute shoppers to get everything on their lists. Even 50 mile per hour winds couldn’t keep some Las Crucens from finding the perfect gifts.
Billowing dust plumes and fallen trees didn’t keep some holiday shoppers from hitting the stores.
“Are you kidding me? It’s not so crowded. It’ll be worse on Saturday and Sunday,” Las Crucen Richard Scramstad told ABC-7.
“Getting in and out of the stores as quickly as possible,” one holiday shopper said.
“We’re having a wonderful day. It’s 18 degrees in Montana,” another shopper said.
“It’s been pretty rough. The lady told me be sure you tie your bags up so you don’t lose your stuff,”Freida Hall said as she put her new purchases in her car.
ABC-7 News Operations Manager Tom Scott could barely keep his footing out at San Augustin Pass.
“I’m holding on to this fence because the winds are so strong. We’ve got blowing dust and you can see how it’s affecting everything around me,” Scott said.
ABC-7 Stormtrack Meteorologists said the peak wind gusts out at the pass were 87 mph.
Out on the roads it was a struggle to even see just a few yards ahead. At one point the New Mexico Department of Transportation encouraged people to avoid driving on the highways. The visibility on I-10 was down to just 10 yards.
While the weather was a change from the mild winter the area has had, some Las Crucens still have one last winter wish.
“I wish we had some snow,” Hall said.
“I miss the snow. Looks like we’re not going to have a white Christmas this year,” said Scramstad.
ABC-7 Stormtrack Meteorologists are keeping their eyes on the Christmas forecast. They said there’s still a tiny chance for a white Christmas.
