Wind may wail till Wednesday
by Ryn Gargulinski on Oct. 23, 2007, under Local, Special
Monday's windy conditions create a dusty haze over the city, prompting the Pima County Health Department to issue a warning to people with respiratory problems and allergies to stay inside. The National Weather Service says wind gusts were as high as 50 mph.
Windy weather may continue to kick up dust and create other hazards through Wednesday.
The gusts started Sunday and spent much of Monday threatening power poles, scattering shingles and stirring up allergic reactions.
“Anybody who is unusually sensitive to particulates – particles and dust in the air – would probably want to stay inside,” said Beth Gorman, program manager with the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.
She said particulates were three times normal levels, increasing allergic reactions and making for some difficult breathing.
Tucson-area power poles and electric wires were also having a tough time of it, with 394 customers without power Monday morning, Tucson Electric Power Co. spokesman Joseph Barrios said.
He said no major outages were reported, but a series of smaller incidents ranged from broken pole parts to a potentially more serious problem on North Oracle Road.
He said crews sped to replace a trio of perilously perched power poles in the 3900 block of North Oracle that could have spurred larger outages if they had fallen.
The National Weather Service’s Tucson office clocked the swiftest gusts at 50 mph atop Rincon Peak by 11 a.m. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base winds hit 38 mph, and at Tucson International Airport, gusts of 30 mph were recorded.
Tucson and all of southern Arizona were given a red flag alert by the Weather Service through 6 p.m., meaning fire danger was acute. Prime ingredients for a fire outbreak include high wind, low humidity and high temperatures.
Forecaster Brian Francis said winds should gradually diminish but will remain higher than usual through Wednesday.
An unidentified Pima County employee braves the gusty winds downtown Monday morning.
Tucson Electric Power Co. replaces and reinforces wavering power poles near North Oracle and Roger roads. TEP spokesman Joseph Barrios says wind contributed to the poles' tipping.
