VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — Powerful gusts swept through Vail and the greater Tucson area on Wednesday, leaving some households temporarily without power and causing damage to infrastructure and roads.
The National Weather Service reported wind speeds reaching up to 61 miles per hour, creating hazardous conditions throughout Pima County. NWS issued a wind advisory on the morning of Wednesday, January 8. The advisory lasts until 10pm Wednesday night.
In Vail, the high winds damaged electrical equipment, leading to power outages in neighborhoods bordering Mescal. Tucson Electric Power (TEP) confirmed that 104 customers lost power on Wednesday morning. Crews worked swiftly to repair the damage, fully restoring power by early afternoon.
The winds also uprooted a large tree along Pantano Road, between Speedway and Wrightstown roads in Tucson. The fallen tree obstructed southbound traffic, causing delays until authorities cleared the road later in the day.
The National Weather Service expects the winds to subside overnight and into Thursday, bringing calmer weather to the region.
However, with freezing temperatures still a concern, residents are advised to bundle up, watch for flying debris and downed power lines, keep pets indoors if possible and protect their pipes from the cold.
——
Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
