Winds to 45 mph expected Thursday in Las Vegas
Gusty winds up to 45 mph mph are expected across Las Vegas on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Wind gusts in the 35-mph range were felt in most parts of the valley on Wednesday.
“On Thursday we expect them to be stronger, between 40 and 50 miles an hour from late morning through the afternoon,” weather service meteorologist Chris Outler said.
The official Thursday forecast calls for patchy blowing dust after 2 p.m. with sunny conditions. The high will be hear 87. South-southwest wind 15 to 20 mph will increase to 25 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.
A red flag warning is in place for the entire region through 5 a.m. Friday. A fire weather watch will run from 5 a.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Saturday, according to the weather service.
Mount Charleston outage planned
The wind conditions have NV Energy planning to stop most power in the Mount Charleston area as a safety precaution to prevent wildfires, with a possible shut-off time now slated for Thursday afternoon.
The outage, if it takes place, would start at 1 p.m. and last 21 hours.
“This time frame includes the duration of the weather event and an estimate of how long it will take crews to inspect the lines for damage, vegetation or debris in order to begin safely restoring power,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “Please note that the restoration time may change based on weather conditions or if crews must make repairs to equipment.”
The outage may be changed or canceled, depending on weather.
Late Wednesday afternoon, NV Energy spokesperson Jennifer Schuricht said wind conditions continue to be monitored and that if plans for the 1 p.m. outage are changed, customers will be notified, including on nvenergy.com.
Power will remain on for Mount Charleston Lodge and other critical needs, including the 911 system. Residents will be able to come to a customer resource center at the resort to get ice, snacks, to charge electronics and other assistance.
Much cooler Friday
The Thursday high will drop to around 87 with a high around 74 on Friday. Southwest winds of 15 to 17 mph will see gusts as high as 26 mph on Friday.
There is a 10 percent chance of rain in the mountain areas on Friday, Outler said.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.
