High wind advisory continues for Las Vegas

Steve Marcus

High winds kick up dust this morning, creating a haze around downtown Las Vegas. The view is from Martin Luther King Boulevard looking south.

By Dave Toplikar (contact)

Published Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 | 7:28 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 | 6:08 p.m.

A strong Pacific storm blustered into Las Vegas today, bringing strong winds that kicked up clouds of dust, made driving difficult for high-profile vehicles and sent temperatures plummeting into the 50s late this afternoon.

The cold front pushed through the Las Vegas Valley this morning and was followed by strong winds from the north. The National Weather Service recorded gusts of 47 mph at McCarran International Airport, 54 mph at Rachel and 45 mph-plus in Death Valley, where visibility was reduced to a half mile.

The weather service had issued warnings for damaging high winds and wildfires today, but canceled those this afternoon and issued a wind advisory that will be in effect through 8 p.m. A wind advisory means that winds of 30 to 39 mph or gusts of 40 to 57 mph are expected, making driving difficult for high-profile vehicles.

Temperatures reached a high today of only 66 degrees about 10 a.m. at McCarran, then began falling after the cold front moved in. The temperature was 56 degrees at 6 p.m. The normal high for today's date is 75 degrees and the record high is 92, set in 1937. The record low for today's date is 35 degrees and the normal low is 52.

Overnight, temperatures will fall to a low of 49 degrees by early Wednesday morning. Wednesday's high will be 59 degrees, forecasters said.

Forecasters say winds will be from the north to northwest tonight between 22 and 26 mph, gusting to 40 mph. The winds will continue Wednesday, with gusts as high as 45 mph during the day and 30 mph Wednesday night.

Thursday's morning temperatures will be, by far, the coldest temperatures so far of the season, falling to below 40 degrees in the valley, forecasters said. Thursday's high will be near 62 degrees