By Mitch Borden
High winds are expected this afternoon throughout the Trans-Pecos and Permian Basin and they’ll continue through the night. The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for West Texas cities and is expecting wind speeds to reach their peak this afternoon.
The national weather service has recorded gusts ranging from around 50 to 70 miles per hour, and this afternoon it’s going to blow even harder.
Greg Murdoch, a senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Midland, predicts, “The strongest winds will begin in the early afternoon and go into the late afternoon hours.”
He said residents in the Midland-Odessa area can expect to see winds around 65 mph. Marfa residents will see speeds in the mid-50s. Murdoch warns flying debris and dangerous driving conditions are the biggest challenges these winds present. Especially if you’re around commercial traffic.
According to him, "18-wheelers, semis, commercial trucks, high profile, certainly could be affected by this type of wind."
Murdoch said the wind is coming from the west, so drivers going north and south will be the most affected. The National Weather Service’s high wind warning will remain in effect until early Thursday.
