Thunderstorms are moving into the region this weekend, bringing the possibility of small hail and gusty winds.
Storms begin brewing in the El Paso area on Friday, April 10, with isolated thunderstorms expected by the evening hours. Storm chances will be the strongest at about 6 p.m. on Friday with a 57% chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service.
“The biggest concern tonight is from 6-9 p.m.,” said Jason Grzywacz, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in El Paso. “That could cause some wind gusts over 40 to 50 miles per hour along with blowing dust, which could impact visibility.”
When it comes to rain, thunderstorms will be hit or miss, Grzywacz said. El Paso could get up to a tenth of an inch of rain, but some areas in Hudspeth County could get up to an inch of rain.
Parts of Southern New Mexico, including Las Cruces, Orogrande and Alamogordo also have strong chances of rain Friday evening. Storms will mostly remain to the east of El Paso heading into Saturday, April 11.
Despite the wet conditions, temperatures will run 5 to 8 degrees above average with highs in the mid-80s through the weekend.
Haboob moves across El Paso
The National Weather Service in El Paso shared an image late Friday afternoon, April 10, showing a haboob approaching its office. The dust wall was expected to move across the El Paso area between about 5 and 5:15 p.m., with winds of 30 to 40 mph and possible visibility of less than one mile.
A blowing dust advisory is also in effect until 7 p.m. Friday.
What is a haboob?
Haboobs occur as a result of thunderstorm outflow winds, according to the National Weather Service. Strong thunderstorm winds can trigger a dust storm that drastically reduces visibility.
A haboob, derived from the Arabic term “habb,” meaning “to blow,” was originally used to describe “wind or sandstorms” that occur in central and northern Sudan, averaging about 24 a year, according to the American Meteorological Society.
Now, it is typically used to describe “any” intense wind-driven sandstorm or dust storm that can loft sand or dust thousands of feet into the air, creating a visually stunning “wall of dust,” according to the American Meteorological Society.
April typically dry in El Paso
April is typically the driest month of the year, the National Weather Service said.
In 2026, El Paso has accumulated 1.69 inches of rain (at the El Paso International Airport), but most of that was from storms that rolled through the area in January when a wintry mix of snow and rain hit the borderland.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on x; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Haboob, storms bring strong winds to El Paso region
Reporting by Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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