Gusts could prompt health alert

Mary Manning and Ed Koch

Wednesday, April 17, 2002 | 10:50 a.m.

A wind advisory was in effect in the Las Vegas Valley today as a return to blustery conditions was expected.

However, officials do not expect conditions to be as severe as Monday's whipping winds that kicked up dust and resulted in unhealthful air quality.

Today's windy weather is the second of a one-two punch from Pacific Northwest storm systems, the National Weather Service at McCarran International Airport said. Winds from 25 mph to 35 mph are expected to kick up in the valley about noon with gusts to 45 mph, National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Harris said.

The Clark County Air Quality Management Division was standing by to issue a health alert if dust gets too thick. In such an alert, construction sites are shut down and water tanks sent out to control the blowing dirt.

Bob Folle, compliance manager with the Air Quality Management office, said on Monday so much dust was kicked up that 13 of the area's 17 health monitoring stations recorded unhealthy levels of fine dust, or PM-10.

"Today we are right on the fence -- it could go either way," Folle said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows the county to exceed its pollution standards only twice a year. To date the county has experienced five days when air quality has exceeded standards.

However, a county plan to address pollution has been verbally approved by the EPA, and the agency has taken no action against local officials.

Unlike the first wind storm Monday, the air today over the area is cooler, Harris said. The warm air clashed with the colder storm system on Monday, creating winds that gusted to 80 mph. One unofficial report in North Las Vegas pegged a gust at 91 mph.

"It shouldn't be that strong today," Harris said.