ST. GEORGE — Washington, Iron, Beaver and Garfield County residents should batten down the hatches Saturday as the National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory.
Sustained south winds of 20-30 mph and gusts up to 50 mph are expected between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., according to a news release from the weather service. Specific communities included in the impacted area include Beaver, Cedar City, Milford, Tooele, Grantsville, Vernon, Delta and Little Sahara, as well as Tooele and Rush valleys.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. A few power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult due to crosswinds, especially for high-profile vehicles and vehicles with trailers,” the news release said.
The weather service also reminds residents to use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle, and to secure outdoor objects.
While the St. George area isn’t expected to see the high winds predicted to the north, residents will notice a drop in temperatures through the weekend and into the middle of the week. The NWS is predicting overnight lows in the low- to mid-50s and daytime highs in the low- to mid-70s Sunday- Tuesday. Northwestern Washington County is included in the wind advisory.
Cedar City, meanwhile, will see highs in the highs 50s nearing 60 and overnight lows in the high 30s and low 40s Sunday-Thursday.
The weather service said the West in general will see a shift in daily conditions, with snow possible at higher elevations, including the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.
Widespread precipitation and cooler temperatures will advance with a frontal system across the western U.S. this weekend. Showers and storms, including high-elevation snow, are expected to spread south and east from the Northwest into the northern Rockies, Great Basin, and California by early Saturday, before extending into the northern Plains and central Rockies by early Sunday.
Click here to access the NWS website.