Posted by Charlie A. Liles on November 12, 2025 at 12:52:37:
In Reply to: Storm Damage posted by Nancy on October 24, 2025 at 06:43:06:
On August 17, between 10:50 and 11:15 pm MDT, an intense thunderstorm hit the Roswell area. We (National Weather Service) surveyed damage on August 18 (area affected was mainly Wrangler-Horizon-Zinnia road) and found that damage was due to a "bow-echo" microburst, first docemented by Dr. Theodore Fujita about 20 years ago. Peak wind was likely 80 to 100 mph.
Witnesses reported seeing a funnel cloud, which was likely the microburst itself, although we could not rule out a brief "spin-up" type tornado. Detailed review of Doppler radar data after the fact revealed no evidence of a tornado, although people should realize the most sophisticated Doppler radars of our time will NOT detect all tornadoes.
Microbursts can produce damage as devastating as weak to moderate tornadoes, and they strike localized areas VERY quickly.
Hope this helps.
Charlie A. Liles Manager/Meteorologist-in-Charge
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM