Windy weather is heading to the El Paso region.

Strong winds will gradually arrive in El Paso on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with gusts of up to 44 miles per hour by noon, according to the National Weather Service. El Paso, as well as much of Southern New Mexico, will be under a fire weather watch as winds combine with very dry air, creating dangerous conditions.

Outdoor burning is discouraged and any fires that do start will spread rapidly, the National Weather Service warned.

Parts of New Mexico are also under a high wind warning, including Cloudcroft and Ruidoso, which are expected to see gusts of up to 70 miles per hour.

Winds are expected to taper down by Thursday, Feb. 19, but could make a comeback on Friday, Feb. 20, possibly triggering another fire weather watch, the National Weather Service said.

What are El Paso’s windiest months?

March, April and May are typically the windiest months of the year. This also coincides with our driest months, which leads to all the dust in El Paso, according to the National Weather Service. As the monsoon season begins in June, winds die down.

Tips for driving in the wind

Here are some tips for driving in windy weather, courtesy of the National Weather Service.

• Maintain a safe distance from high profile vehicles
• Keep a firm grip on the wheel with both hands
• Keep a lookout for falling debris, fallen power lines and trees
• Use caution on overpasses and bridges

Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.

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A New Mexico woman is facing charges after she allegedly gave birth in a portable toilet and then killed the newborn by drowning them in the holding tank.

Sonia Cristal Jimenez, 38, arrived at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces at around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, when staff said she appeared as if she had just given birth, but she had no baby with her, Las Cruces Police said in a press release.

Hospital staff then notified police about the unusual encounter.

Jimenez’s boyfriend said they had been at Burn Lake, which is located about six miles away, and that his girlfriend had used a portable toilet.

NEWBORN FOUND WITH UMBILICAL CORD ATTACHED IN PENN STATION, POLICE HUNT FOR PARENTS

Officers rushed to the deserted area and discovered the infant girl dead in the portable toilet’s holding tank.

Investigators suspect that Jimenez gave birth, cut the umbilical cord and left the child in the holding tank, where she drowned.

An autopsy showed the baby inhaled and swallowed the sanitation liquid used in the portable toilet, according to investigators. The blue chemical was found in the baby’s trachea, lungs and stomach, which investigators said confirms that she breathed and swallowed the liquid while she was still alive.

Jimenez was arrested on Wednesday and charged with intentional child abuse resulting in death, a first-degree felony. She was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center and is being held without bond.

AUTOPSY RESULTS DEEPEN MYSTERY OF INFANT ALLEGEDLY FOUND DEAD IN UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ATHLETE’S CLOSET

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Police said they do not expect to charge her boyfriend, as they do not believe he was aware she had given birth.

“This is one of the most heartbreaking and disturbing cases I have encountered in my career,” Las Cruces police Chief Jeremy Story told the Santa Fe New Mexican.

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