Tuesday expected to be really windy

City to put up health alert for dust

Albuquerque and Bernalillo County residents can expect a windy start to their Tuesday.

Andrew Church, National Weather Service meteorologist in Albuquerque, said the area is expected to get winds gusts of up to 55 mph beginning after midnight, and the strongest winds could be in the central and southeastern part of the city.

Winds are expected to “taper off pretty quickly” after noon, he said.

Highs on Tuesday are expected to be about 60 degrees, according to NWS.

In preparation for the potential dust, the city of Albuquerque on Monday afternoon issued a health alert from midnight Tuesday to noon Tuesday.

During a health alert, people can take the following steps, according to the city:

■ Limit time spent outdoors and avoid outdoor exercise.

■ Schools and senior citizen facilities may want to provide indoor activities to minimize exposure to elevated outdoor particulate levels.

■ Keep windows and doors closed. Use air conditioners or heating systems on recycle/recirculation mode.

■ If symptoms of heart or lung disease occur, i.e., shortness of breath, chest tightness, chest pain, palpitations or unusual fatigue, contact a health care provider.

■ Individuals with heart or lung disease should follow their health management plan from their health care provider.

■ People with asthma should follow a prescribed asthma management plan.

While the winds may be gusty, Church said the city should not see much “in the way of blowing dust” because of the chance of rain. He also said the amount of precipitation should be minimal in the metro area, with the bulk of the rain being south and east of Albuquerque.

Roswell could see up to an inch and a half of rain, Church said.

Church said the weather will clear Wednesday, with a high around 70 degrees. Temperatures will continue to rise the rest of the week, with highs possibly hitting the 80s on Friday.