Red Flag Warning Issued For Tucson Region: NWS

TUCSON, AZ — Extremely dry conditions, high temperatures and gusty winds are expected in southern Arizona on Friday.

That combination has led the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for Tucson and surrounding areas, effective from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.

Wind speeds of 15-25 mph and gusts of up to 45 mph are expected, along with a chance for isolated light showers and dry thunderstorms, the service said.

The best chance for rain on Friday will start in the morning in western Pima County, tracking eastward toward the Tucson area, before drying out during the evening.

Additionally, there's a chance for embedded thunderstorms with the weather front, with the best chance happening northeast of Tucson, up through the White Mountains, the National Weather Service said.

Friday's warning takes up a sliver of the state, running from southwest of Sells northeast, toward the New Mexico line north of Clifton. The warning also includes everything east of the county line between Pima and Cochise counties, the service said.

A fire weather watch is in effect for all of southeast Arizona, between Eloy and the New Mexico and Mexican border, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, with wind gusts of up to 40 mph expected.

For more information on the weekend's weather outlook, visit the National Weather Service's website.