Cold front triggers wind advisory as metro Phoenix braces for blustery day
Jan 8, 2025, 7:39 AM | Updated: 9:09 am
PHOENIX – Hold onto your hats, because the Valley is in for a blustery day on Wednesday after a cold front moved into the area.
In fact, the National Weather Service (NWS) activated a wind advisory through 2 p.m. for a swath of metro Phoenix. The advisory covers an area from Peoria to east Mesa and includes Cave Creek, north Phoenix, Scottsdale and Fountain Hills.
In addition, the Maricopa County Air Quality Department declared it a no-burn day due to elevated dust levels.
Winds in the range of 20-30 mph, plus stronger gusts, are expected to persist throughout the morning before tapering off.
“We’re probably going to see winds start to die down as we head into the afternoon hours, and especially by this evening,” Ted Whittock of the NWS in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
A weather system is currently passing south of the region. Expect widespread gusty winds today and lingering slight precipitation chances over southern AZ. Channels of denser blowing dust may develop along portions of I-10 later this morning. #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/r9sEOEszNe
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) January 8, 2025
The weather system, which arrived Tuesday night, could create difficult driving conditions for higher profile vehicles and kick up dust that limits visibility.
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“If you encounter dense blowing dust, just be sure to pull over and wait for those conditions to improve,” Whittock said.
How else is cold front affecting Valley weather?
The cold front is also bringing temperatures down. Tuesday, when the high was 69 degrees, was just the third day since winter started on Dec. 21 that Phoenix didn’t reach at least the 70s.
However, highs are expected to hover in the mid-60s for the rest of the week.
The system didn’t bring any rain to the Valley on Tuesday night, but the Wednesday forecast includes a slight chance for precipitation.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which the NWS uses for the city’s official readings, hasn’t received measurable rainfall since Aug. 22, a span of nearly five months.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Colton Krolak contributed to this report.
