New Mexico State University Testing Dust Storm Detection System

A new dust storm warning system is undergoing testing by developers and engineers at New Mexico State University.

The state transportation department contracted with the Las Cruces school’s Department of Engineering Technology and Surveying to find and deploy an automated system that will notify motorists of limited visibility conditions and direct them how to respond during storms.

Developers tell the Las Cruces Sun-News that what they’ve come up with is a system comprised of weather stations set up on the roadside.

Transportation officials can monitor the system from a desk saving the time and money required to go out to the field to observe weather conditions.

The system can capture and report temperature, moisture, humidity, air pressure, wind speed and visibility. With additional sensors, the system could also report pavement temperature and relay information about whether or not slippery, icy conditions might exist.