Wind gusts reaching nearly 50 mph blast through Arizona on Wednesday

PHOENIX — Strong wind gusts blasted throughout Arizona on Wednesday, with some reaching nearly 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

“We’re seeing some pretty strong winds across all the Phoenix area this afternoon,” meteorologist Jaret Rogers told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

“Most of the gusts that we’ve seen have ranged between 30 and 40 mph, with a few that have been stronger than that — very windy day for our standards.”

According to the weather service, the wind reached 47 mph in Deer Valley and 40 mph in Phoenix.

Click on the link below for the highest wind gusts over the past 18 hours of 25 mph or more by state and county. Strong gusty wind conditions are expected to last throughout your evening commute in #Phoenix. Keep both hands on the wheel. #AZWXhttps://t.co/tnUItaWYvR pic.twitter.com/jdTSiQVypE

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) April 11, 2019

Rogers said while there has been some haze in the sky, the state’s high amounts of rainfall for the year have kept loose dust from being blown around.

“The wind should last through about sunset, and then after sunset it should start to die down,” he said.

“And then by tomorrow it looks like the winds will be quite a bit weaker although we could still some locally breezy conditions.”

Rogers said there is a Red Flag Warning issued for fires through Wednesday evening.

Red Flag Warning are in effect across most of SW…South-Central…and SE AZ today from 9 am until 7 pm MST. Please be careful out there! #azwx pic.twitter.com/iW5CJ6rf4O

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) April 10, 2019

“That basically just means that we have strong winds and low humidity, so if a fire does get started, it could spread pretty quickly,” he said.

The weather service also noted that on April 10 last year, Phoenix had already reached 100 degrees. Wednesday’s high temperature was just 76 degrees.

What a difference a year makes! On this day last year(2018)…at this time …Sky Harbor saw its 1st 100-degree day of the year. Right now it is only 76…with the strong gusty winds and the very low humidity making it feel even cooler! #azwx pic.twitter.com/tPjP0dhSg5

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) April 10, 2019

The city reached 90 degrees for the first time this year on Monday.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kevin Fleischman contributed to this report. 

Related

Phoenix temperature reaches 90 degrees for first time in 2019Snowbowl gets 2 inches of early-season snowPhoenix man gets 6 years in prison after 50-pound meth bustAuthorities ask for help finding car involved in fatal hit-and-run in west PhoenixMan found dead in Phoenix canal was driver in nearby crash, police sayDave Ramsey says: The more things change, the more they stay the same