High-wind warning for Las Vegas Valley through Thursday
The National Weather Service issued a high-wind warning for Las Vegas, with gusts up to 70 mph expected in some parts of the valley on Wednesday.
The warning goes into effect at 1 p.m. when winds are expected to increase to 25-30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph for most of the valley. The weather service said the far west side of the valley could see gusts up to 70 mph.
High winds could lead to power outages in the valley, the weather service warned, and will be strong enough to knock over trees and pick up loose debris. The weather service predicts patchy areas of blowing dust and strong, sudden crosswinds during the advisory period, which can make driving difficult and could be harmful for people with respiratory diseases.
A red flag warning will go into effect at the same time for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Nevada side of the Colorado River. Wednesday’s combination of strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures could contribute to “extreme fire behaviour,” according to the alert.
Winds are forecast to increase to 35-40 mph overnight Wednesday and into early Thursday morning, with 50-60 mph gusts across the valley and gusts up to 80 mph near Indian Springs. By Thursday evening, winds could still gust up to 40 mph.
The high-wind watch will last through 11 p.m. Thursday.
Wednesday’s forecast has a high of 91 degrees, about 15 degrees higher than the normal temperature for this time of year, the weather service said. Thursday’s high will drop down to 70, slightly below normal for the season.
Friday’s high should reach 71 degrees with breezy winds gusting up to 25 mph, the weather service said. By Saturday the valley should see calmer weather.
The weekend forecast has a high of 77 for Saturday and about 84 on Sunday, the weather service said.
Contact Max Michor at 702-383-0365 or mmichor@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.
