Winds Reach Over 80 MPH At White Sands Military Base

The worst of high winds on Tuesday seemed to be on U.S. Highway 70 at San Augustine pass where there were reports of a 116 mph wind gust. But even with the gust reaching 80 to 90 miles it was enough to knock over an RV. New Mexico State Police said the driver was only going 35 mph, but the winds were so strong it just pushed the vehicle completely over. The driver walked away injury free. Just a few miles further down the road, at White Sands Military Base, the damage was even worse. “We're very fortunate that it was early morning and there weren't a lot of people in the building we had a couple of minor injuries,” said White Sands Military Base spokeswoman Monty Marlin. One of the police officers said it reminded him of when tornadoes would hit in the Midwest. “We've seen gust up to 80 mph on the main post,” said Marlin. “Prior to the loss of power, they had tracked gust up to 100 mph in the pass (San Augustine).”...read more