NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Communities in eastern New Mexico are cleaning up after two tornados rolled through the area Wednesday.
The massive storm dropped tennis ball-sized chunks of hail in and around Clovis and also downed power lines and trees. Donald Thomson from Houston, Texas, when the intense storm forced him to stop in Clovis. “We knew it was a big storm coming in. We got into Clovis and said let’s stop to eat here and I’m glad we did because if we were on the road for that, I don’t know what would have happened,” said Thomson.
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The City of Clovis said it has yet to hear any major reports of major damage in the city from Wednesday night’s storm, but one of their police units did see some hail damage.
A lineman with Roosevelt County Electric said the weather night did some damage. In one area, high winds blew 25 poles down, which his crew has been working to fix.
The bulk of the storm hit near Cannon Air Force Base, where two tornadoes touched down near. One of them, just a mile west of the base.
KRQE News 13 meteorologists said the area saw severe weather Tuesday and Wednesday with roughly two inches of rain in the last few days. Chances of severe weather in that area are expected to continue through Saturday.
“Every once in a while, we have just a single day where we have weather, but having a full solid week where it’s night after night is not normal. It’s just taking the time to reiterate what to do when a warning happens or a watch happens,” said Emergency Management Director for the City of Clovis and Curry County, Ruthann Kelly.
The continued threat has nearby Canon Air Force Base relocating aircraft. The base sent the following statement:
“Cannon Air Force Base experienced severe weather between approximately 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., May 29, 2024 and is in the process of identifying and addressing damage on the installation, however, our primary concern right now is preserving our readiness to meet Department of Defense priorities and tasking. As such, the 27th Special Operations Wing has relocated several aircraft from Cannon AFB to Department of Defense installations outside an upcoming potential storm track.
This relocation allows our 27th SOW Airmen to continue providing premier unconventional airpower support to any global crisis or contingency unimpeded by weather. The Steadfast Line remains ready to execute mission requirements any place, any time, anywhere.’
