Winds dying down, but strong gusts still expected

The worst of the winds have passed through the valley, but strong gusts will last through today.

The National Weather Service expected wind gusts between 35 and 45 mph for most of the valley Tuesday night, with a few areas experiencing gusts up to 60 mph. That's a drop from Tuesday afternoon, which saw gusts of more than 55 mph throughout the valley, with gusts in some areas reaching more than 70 mph.

The system is part of a cold front expected to bring a 20-degree drop in temperatures overnight, according to the weather service. Tuesday's high temperature was 73 degrees. Today's high is predicted to be 54.

The winds will abate today, with gusts between 25 and 35 mph, and the system should pass through by Thursday.

Las Vegas saw delayed flights, closed roads and power outages from the system.

The Hoover Dam bypass bridge was closed for more than an hour after a suspension cable fell across it, and U.S. Highway 95 leading to Searchlight was closed for hours because of high winds and low visibility. It wasn't immediately clear what the cable on the bypass bridge was attached to -- the structure is not a suspension bridge.

Arrivals and departures at McCarran International Airport were delayed, and authorities encouraged travelers to check with their airline for flight information. The delays depended on which runway the planes were using.

On a Southwest Airlines flight to Burbank, Calif., passengers on the half-full plane were asked to sit in the forward section and were told that beverage service during the usual 45-minute flight was being canceled.

"The crew did a really good job of keeping everyone loose and in good spirits," said Craig Peskind, 57, of Bell Canyon, Calif., a passenger on the flight. "But they also made sure everyone knew where their barf bags were located."

Peskind said the take-off was the worst he had experienced on any flight.

The National Weather Service predicted wind gusts up to 90 mph, with the strongest winds coming in the afternoon and evening. By 5 p.m., Pahrump had seen a top gust of 85 mph, and McCarran had seen a gust of 63 mph.

About 1,300 people across the valley remained without power late Tuesday after the winds damaged NV Energy equipment, a company spokeswoman said. Mostly areas in North Las Vegas and downtown were affected. Some street lights also were out.

Crews were out in force trying to restore power. The company couldn't estimate restoration times.

The storm system caused sand and dust to reduce visibility.

High winds knocked down a pane of glass from the Plaza downtown, but damage across the valley has been minimal.

McCarran's strongest gust Tuesday was 63 mph. The strongest gust recorded in March was 84 mph, according to the weather service.

Review-Journal reporter Howard Stutz contributed to this report.