Dona Ana County, New Mexico — A severe thunderstorm is bearing down on central Dona Ana County Monday evening, and the National Weather Service says anyone in its path needs to take shelter now.

What is happening: The National Weather Service in El Paso issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at 7:41 PM MDT for central Dona Ana County. At 7:41 PM, radar tracked the storm about seven miles southwest of Leasburg, pushing east at 30 miles per hour. The warning runs through 8:15 PM MDT.

Local impacts: This storm is packing 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts and quarter-size hail. Hail that size dents cars and shatters windows, and winds that strong can peel siding off houses, tear up roofs, and snap tree limbs. Towns in the storm's path include Leasburg, Radium Springs, Dona Ana, and East Mesa, along with parts of the Jornada Experimental Range, Hill, Fort Selden State Historic Site, and Leasburg Dam State Park. Drivers should expect dangerous conditions on Interstate 25 between mile markers 7 and 19 and on Highway 70 between mile markers 152 and 156.

What to do:

- Get inside now — move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

- Stay away from windows; hail and flying debris are the main danger.

- If you are driving, pull safely off the road and away from trees — do not wait out hail on an open highway.

- Secure loose outdoor items before the gusts arrive.

Source: National Weather Service El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM. Issued October 19, 2026.