Wind advisory issued for Arizona, other parts of Southwest

PHOENIX — A wind advisory warning of gusts as high as 50 miles per hour has been issued for Arizona and other parts of the Southwestern United States through Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service said the winds will begin increasing Friday morning and peaking in the afternoon before gradually decreasing Saturday across Arizona.

Winds are expected to be 25-35 mph, with occasional gusts.

The weather service warned winds could cause blowing dust, which typically cuts visibility on Arizona freeways, especially Interstates 10 and 8 south of the Phoenix area.

If drivers hit a cloud of blowing dust, they are reminded to pull off the road as far as possible, put the car in park and turn all lights off to wait out the storm.

Crosswinds could also make travel difficult.

The weather has Arizona fire crews on edge. In addition to the wind advisory, the weather service also issued a red flag warning, meaning winds are high and humidity is low, creating an ideal scenario for a wildfire.

There may also be dangerous boating conditions on lakes, where boats may capsize in rough waters.

Areas along the California border will also be affected, including Death Valley National Park and San Bernardino County. Parts of Nevada, particularly the Las Vegas Valley and Nye County, will also be affected.

The warnings issued late Thursday night are in place through 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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