Tucson to White Sands wind

[timelinex]

I'm considering a trip from Phoenix to White Sands/Carlsbad (New Mexico) next week. I would be towing my 43ft 20k pound Grand Design fifth wheel.

My main concern is that it looks like that route (I-10) has really high winds through NM this time of year. Weather forecast shows 39mph winds this Friday! Is that an issue?

I remember driving this thing through high winds before and it was very unpleasant. But that was when I was towing it with a SRW. I've got a dually now and it usually handles this thing like a beast.

 

[johnhicks]

I-10 is routinely closed due to accidents caused by idiots who don't have sense enough to not drive during a dust storm. Just happened again yesterday. It's probably not pleasant to sit out a dust storm on I-10 all day.

If you can't pick your weather don't do it.

 

[tanglemoose]

Yep, winds are not your friend when towing... seen too many rvs over turned.

 

[JudyJB]

I am at Rock Hound State Park, right now, which is about 8 miles southeast of Deming, NM, and I-10. Also, about 80 miles southwest of White Sands, and about 250 mile directly west of Carlsbad.

Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny, calm day, so I ran a bunch of my errands. Luckily, I arrived on Sunday, which was also calm and sunny. HOWEVER, Monday was a horrible dust/sand storm with winds all day about 35 MPH, gusting to 50 MPH. I could barely see across the street to the trailer there, and the hill to the south and the mountain beside me, to the east almost completely disappeared! (I am camped on the slope at the bottom of that mountain, so it is not miles away!) I did NOT go outside, and ended up stuffing strips of wet paper towel in the weep holes on my windows to keep the dust from blowing in.

By nightfall, the wind speed had dropped to maybe 15 MPH, but it kicked up again on Tuesday morning and stayed at about 25 MPH all day. Less dust yesterday, but I could see it moving around in the valley and most of Deming was only slightly visible. I still stayed inside.

You can drive I-10 if you check wind speed on weather and schedule your drive. Tomorrow (Thursday) wind here is supposed to peak again at 35 MPH with gusts to 55. Friday highest wind in the middle of the day will be 25 MPH with gusts to 43, and on Saturday will be better.

So it looks like Saturday and Sunday and even Monday will be good traveling at least on the section of I-10 near Deming. BUT, make sure you check the rest of the route. Note that the wind seems to be worst in the daytime, and less at night.

I have plenty of food, propane, and water in my tanks, so I am set for the next two days of dust, but I would not want to drive in it. Hope this all helps.

 

[timelinex]

I am at Rock Hound State Park, right now, which is about 8 miles southeast of Deming, NM, and I-10. Also, about 80 miles southwest of White Sands, and about 250 mile directly west of Carlsbad.

Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny, calm day, so I ran a bunch of my errands. Luckily, I arrived on Sunday, which was also calm and sunny. HOWEVER, Monday was a horrible dust/sand storm with winds all day about 35 MPH, gusting to 50 MPH. I could barely see across the street to the trailer there, and the hill to the south and the mountain beside me, to the east almost completely disappeared! (I am camped on the slope at the bottom of that mountain, so it is not miles away!) I did NOT go outside, and ended up stuffing strips of wet paper towel in the weep holes on my windows to keep the dust from blowing in.

By nightfall, the wind speed had dropped to maybe 15 MPH, but it kicked up again on Tuesday morning and stayed at about 25 MPH all day. Less dust yesterday, but I could see it moving around in the valley and most of Deming was only slightly visible. I still stayed inside.

You can drive I-10 if you check wind speed on weather and schedule your drive. Tomorrow (Thursday) wind here is supposed to peak again at 35 MPH with gusts to 55. Friday highest wind in the middle of the day will be 25 MPH with gusts to 43, and on Saturday will be better.

So it looks like Saturday and Sunday and even Monday will be good traveling at least on the section of I-10 near Deming. BUT, make sure you check the rest of the route. Note that the wind seems to be worst in the daytime, and less at night.

I have plenty of food, propane, and water in my tanks, so I am set for the next two days of dust, but I would not want to drive in it. Hope this all helps.

Thanks for the great info. Current plans has us driving through there on the 10th on the way and the 15th on the way back. Weather shows 8mph and 20mph respectively. Doesn't sound bad, but not sure how much weight I can put on weather forecasts? The problem is we would basically have to book the KOA's today or maybe tomorrow.

 

[tanglemoose]

I am at Rock Hound State Park, right now, which is about 8 miles southeast of Deming, NM, and I-10. Also, about 80 miles southwest of White Sands, and about 250 mile directly west of Carlsbad.

Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny, calm day, so I ran a bunch of my errands. Luckily, I arrived on Sunday, which was also calm and sunny. HOWEVER, Monday was a horrible dust/sand storm with winds all day about 35 MPH, gusting to 50 MPH. I could barely see across the street to the trailer there, and the hill to the south and the mountain beside me, to the east almost completely disappeared! (I am camped on the slope at the bottom of that mountain, so it is not miles away!) I did NOT go outside, and ended up stuffing strips of wet paper towel in the weep holes on my windows to keep the dust from blowing in.

By nightfall, the wind speed had dropped to maybe 15 MPH, but it kicked up again on Tuesday morning and stayed at about 25 MPH all day. Less dust yesterday, but I could see it moving around in the valley and most of Deming was only slightly visible. I still stayed inside.

You can drive I-10 if you check wind speed on weather and schedule your drive. Tomorrow (Thursday) wind here is supposed to peak again at 35 MPH with gusts to 55. Friday highest wind in the middle of the day will be 25 MPH with gusts to 43, and on Saturday will be better.

So it looks like Saturday and Sunday and even Monday will be good traveling at least on the section of I-10 near Deming. BUT, make sure you check the rest of the route. Note that the wind seems to be worst in the daytime, and less at night.

I have plenty of food, propane, and water in my tanks, so I am set for the next two days of dust, but I would not want to drive in it. Hope this all helps.

We are headed to Rockhound in 3 weeks, hope winds are gone by then!

 

[PancakeBill]

Rockhound on my list to hit before summer temps.

 

[JudyJB]

Rock Hound is one of my favorite places because of the views. It is on the talus or lower slope of a couple of mountains, so you have a great view of the valley and even some mountains I am guessing are 20-30 miles away. It is also a small campground with 23 E&W sites and 5 no-hookup sites. It also tends to attract older adults, not families, because there is no lake, river, etc. Sites are large and well-spread apart, so it is also very quiet. Not fancy, but good place to sit and enjoy the view. (Note: You can collect any gem stones you find and take them home with you.)

The weird thing is that this is the third time I have camped here about this time of year, and the first time I have ever experienced these crazy dust storms!

And FYI, another of my favorite places in this area is Oliver Lee SP, just south of Alamogordo, about 140 miles north of here. It is very close to White Sands, also.

 

[JudyJB]

We are headed to Rockhound in 3 weeks, hope winds are gone by then!

I asked the camp host lady if this wind and dust storms was common since i had never experienced that in my two previous trips. She agreed that this was very unusual, though not unheard of.

 

[garyb1st]

We just left the Holloman Lake BLM site which is 3 miles from the White Sands Visitor Center. The area is know for strong winds. In five days, we only experienced strong winds once. It looked like it was snowing there was so much dust in the air. Several large 40+ ft 5th wheels parked in the area.

 

[CamperAL]

Greetings,

Something to keep in mind and perhaps others on here know, is this area from Las Cruces to the Benson Area can have some really bad sandstorms to the point of sand blasting vehicles paint off. Windows get extremely pitted also.

My folks when RV'n in the area one time were warned by locals where they were staying that it would be advisable to stay where they were until the next day or so. Next day winds died down and as they traveled that area they saw all kinds of trucks, cars and so forth, along the sides of the road that were damaged to the extreme as described above. So be careful!!

 

[JudyJB]

Got another warning via cell phone this morning, and right on schedule, half an hour later, the winds have begun and the mountains have disappeared. I am glad I am not driving on I-10! Just saw a couple of rigs arrive and hookup in the wind.

The stuff that is blowing around here is very fine dust. It is a bit gritty, but the funny thing is that when I drove to town yesterday, the drive mostly blew it off my rig.

 

[CharlesinGA]

I am at Rock Hound State Park, right now, which is about 8 miles southeast of Deming, NM, and I-10. Also, about 80 miles southwest of White Sands, and about 250 mile directly west of Carlsbad.

Looking at Google Maps I see the Basin Range Geolapidary Museum very close to Rockhound SP, have you been there?

Charles

 

[JudyJB]

Looking at Google Maps I see the Basin Range Geolapidary Museum very close to Rockhound SP, have you been there?

Charles

I have driven past it a couple of times but it looks deserted. The building looks like a shack. I will ask the camp host if she knows anything about it.

 

[NMDriver]

Use US 70, much less wind and not that much longer in time to reach Lordsburg. Also start early. The winds do not get full of dust until the afternoon generally after 3. Unfortunately if I-10 is closed between Wilcox and Lordsburg they devert all the traffic onto US 70 and it becomes a 30 mph trudge.