Wind Advisory 4, NWS Tucson, AZ

362 
WWUS75 KTWC 191009
NPWTWC

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
309 AM MST Sun Apr 19 2026

AZZ503>507-192000-
/O.CON.KTWC.WI.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260419T2000Z/
Upper Santa Cruz River Valley/Altar Valley-Tucson Metro Area-
South Central Pinal County-Southeast Pinal County-Upper San Pedro
River Valley-
Including the cities of Mammoth, Marana, Oracle, Sierra Vista,
Tucson, Benson, Picacho Peak State Park, Green Valley, Nogales, and
Vail
309 AM MST Sun Apr 19 2026

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...East to southeast winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph
  expected. Although the strongest sustained winds may be blocked in
  some locations by the terrain, those east to southeast aligned
  valleys are the most likely to experience impactful winds.

* WHERE...South Central Pinal County, Southeast Pinal County, Tucson
  Metro Area, Upper San Pedro River Valley, and Upper Santa Cruz
  River Valley/Altar Valley.

* WHEN...Until 1 PM MST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Areas of blowing dust reducing visibility may be possible
  at times. Gusty winds will blow around outdoor loose and unsecured
  objects.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

&&

$$

AZZ508-509-192000-
/O.CON.KTWC.WI.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260419T2000Z/
Eastern Cochise County below 5000 feet-Upper Gila River Valley-
Including the cities of Safford, Douglas, Willcox, and Clifton
309 AM MST Sun Apr 19 2026

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...East to southeast winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph
  expected. Although the strongest sustained winds may be blocked in
  some locations by the terrain, those east to southeast aligned
  valleys are the most likely to experience impactful winds.

* WHERE...Eastern Cochise County below 5000 feet and Upper Gila River
  Valley.

* WHEN...Until 1 PM MST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Areas of blowing dust reducing visibility may be possible
  at times. Blowing dust is especially likely across the San Simon
  Valley in eastern Cochise and southern Graham and Greenlee
  counties. This includes Interstate 10 between Willcox and the New
  Mexico state line. Gusty winds will blow around outdoor loose and
  unsecured objects.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

&&

$$

CWR

054 
WWUS75 KTWC 191958
NPWTWC

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1258 PM MST Sun Apr 19 2026

AZZ503>509-192100-
/O.EXP.KTWC.WI.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260419T2000Z/
Upper Santa Cruz River Valley/Altar Valley-Tucson Metro Area-
South Central Pinal County-Southeast Pinal County-Upper San Pedro
River Valley-Eastern Cochise County below 5000 feet-Upper Gila
River Valley-
Including the cities of Benson, Picacho Peak State Park, Willcox,
Safford, Vail, Clifton, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Mammoth, Tucson,
Oracle, Douglas, Nogales, and Marana
1258 PM MST Sun Apr 19 2026

...WIND ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 1 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

Although breezy east to southeast winds will persist into the late
afternoon and evening, the threat of strong winds has subsided.
Therefore, the Wind Advisory has been allowed to expire at 1 PM MST.

$$

JT

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1230 AM MST Sat Apr 18 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Yet another sunny and mild day is in store for
Southeast Arizona today with afternoon high temperatures
slightly above normal. A surface high pressure building down
the front range of the Rockies will result in a backdoor front
nudging into the area from the east beginning this afternoon but
especially tonight into Sunday. This front will result in gusty
east to southeast winds, capable of producing blowing dust
impacts across the Gila River and San Simon valleys near the
Arizona and New mexico state line. This feature will import some
mid- level moisture, resulting in a slight chance of mainly dry
thunderstorms Sunday afternoon and evening. Cooler temperatures
return late next week as another system moves to our north.

&&

.DISCUSSION...The upper-level weather pattern this morning is
defined by a mean trough of low pressure across the central
states and a low-amplitude shortwave ridge moving into the
Desert Southwest from the west. A surface high pressure
building down the front range of the Rockies into eastern New
Mexico/northern Texas this morning will result in a strong
pressure gradient setting up over Southeast Arizona and Western
New Mexico as early as this afternoon, but especially between
19/06Z this evening and 19/18Z Sunday afternoon. This gradient
will then rapidly relax Sunday afternoon as the surface high
shifts east. This feature will result in gusty east to southeast
winds 15-25 mph with gusts to 30-35 mph to locations prone to
easterly winds. The strongest and most impactful winds will be
across the Gila River and San Simon valleys, where southeast
winds of 20-30 mph with gusts to 40 mph may be possible. Areas
of blowing dust will accompany these winds, especially across
the more dust-prone areas within the San Simon Valley which
impact portions of Interstate-10 between Willcox and the AZ/NM
state line.

In addition to the potential for blowing dust, this ELY low-mid
level flow will import just enough mid-level moisture into the
eastern portions of Southeast Arizona for a slight chance (10-15
percent) of mainly dry thunderstorms Sunday afternoon. It will
take the lower-levels a little longer to respond to the moisture
increase as the southern Continental Divide in SW NM has a
tendency in  these backdoor cold fronts to limit the lower-
level moisture from fully advecting into the area from the east.
This elevated mid-level moisture will be around late Tuesday
afternoon/early Tuesday evening to interact with a weak impulse
moving through the mid-upper levels for a slight chance of
mainly dry thunderstorms to develop. These showers will produce
little-No rainfall, but will be capable of producing erratic and
gusty outflows to 40-45 mph due to the dry low-levels.

Otherwise, there is better agreement amongst the GEFS and ECMWF
ensemble members with regard to the evolution of the upper
pattern next week. It looks like a trough of low-pressure will
develop along the West Coast through the middle of next week,
then as a high-amplitude ridge to the west of this trough builds
into the Pacific Northwest, a more progressive and open mean
trough develops across the Great Basin and Desert Southwest late
next week into next weekend. This pattern forces individual
shortwaves to rapidly pass to our north, keeping us dry along
the southern periphery as they zip on past. It will however
result in periods of breeziness with each passing shortwave.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 19/12Z. SKC through 19/04Z this
evening, then SCT-BKN high clouds AOA 20k ft AGL thru the
remainder of the period. SFC winds terrain driven an under 10
kts through 18/19Z, then ELY/SELY SFC winds 10-14 kts with
gusts up to 20 kts east of KTUS, increasing to 15-20 kts with
gusts to 30 kts Saturday night. The strongest winds will be
across the Gila River Valley including KSAD after 19/06Z
Saturday night with localized VSBY 3-5SM in BLDU. Aviation
discussion not updated for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Yet another sunny and mild day is in store for
Southeast Arizona today with afternoon high temperatures
slightly above normal. A surface high pressure building down
the front range of the Rockies will result in a backdoor front
nudging into Southeast Arizona from the east beginning this
afternoon but especially tonight into Sunday. Expect 20-foot
southeast to east winds 15-25 mph with gusts to 30-35 mph in
those locations prone to easterly wind, with the strongest winds
across the Gila River and San Simon valleys, where 20-foot
southeast winds of 20-25 mph with gusts to 35-40 mph may be
possible. Although minimum RHs between 15-20 percent are
anticipated in the valleys east and northeast of Tucson Sunday,
we may see brief near critical Fire Weather conditions develop.
In addition to the winds, a gradual increase in low and mid-
level moisture will result in a slight chance (10-15%) chance
for cloud buildups or a dry thunderstorm over the higher terrain
Sunday afternoon. Little-to-no rainfall is expected. A stray
lightning strike combined with gusty and erratic outflow winds
could result in a new wildfire start and rapid growth with
abundant dry fuel. Minimum RHs will generally be 8-15 percent
across the valleys/mountains today, with a 5-10 percent increase
in RHs Sunday due to the backdoor front, then decreasing again
to 10-20 percent next week.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.

&&

Visit us on Facebook, X, YouTube, and at weather.gov/Tucson