Fire warning and wind advisory issued for area

By Mary Manning

Published Thursday, April 23, 2009 | 7:29 a.m.

Updated Thursday, April 23, 2009 | 10:26 a.m.

A scenario for cooler temperatures and gusty conditions is moving into the Las Vegas Valley today, according to the National Weather Service.

After reaching 94 degrees Wednesday, the hottest temperature so far this year, a storm system is kicking up winds and bringing a chance of showers Friday night and into Saturday to the valley, the weather service said.

Clark County Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management officials issued a dust advisory for this afternoon through Friday evening to residents and local construction operators for possible blowing particles due to gusty winds.

Although unhealthy levels of dust were not occurring Thursday morning, officials said that as part of the county's dust control program air quality officials are sending notices to construction sites in the Las Vegas Valley and outlying areas, asking them to take precautions to prevent blowing dust.

An alert will be posted on the forecast page of the air quality's Web site if unhealthy dust levels occur. The link to the forecast page is www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/daqem/Pages/index.aspx.

Airborne dust can aggravate respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma, officials said. Children, the elderly and people with respiratory diseases are urged to stay indoors during dust storms.

Air quality officials also advise everyone to drive slowly on unpaved roads, not to take short cuts across vacant lots and use off-road vehicles only in approved areas outside urban Las Vegas.

The weather service has issued a fire warning and a wind advisory for most of Southern Nevada. The fire warning begins at 1 p.m. today and lasts through 9 p.m. Friday. The wind advisory begins at 2 p.m. today and lasts until 10 p.m. tonight, when winds are supposed to decrease in intensity overnight.

Temperatures should still reach 90 degrees today, but winds gusting to 30 mph or more this afternoon will keep warmer temperatures at bay. Overnight, the winds will diminish. Scattered to broken clouds will arrive this afternoon and stay for the next three days.

Winds will continue Friday and bring a chance of showers on Friday night and even thunderstorms by 11 a.m. Saturday. By Saturday the daytime highs will range in the low to mid 70s.

Sunday temperatures could warm to 80 degrees before the next storm system arrives on Monday, affecting the valley through at least mid week.