If you’ve felt like this spring has been windier than in years past, you’re not alone

By Tom Maxedon
Published: Sunday, June 5, 2022 - 5:05am

wind advisory sign
Tom Maxedon/KJZZ
A wind advisory sign on westbound Loop 202.

If you’ve felt like this spring has been windier than in years past, you’re not alone — especially if you live in Arizona’s high country.

Darren McCollum, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, said it’s the second windiest season on record for northern Arizona.

“It’s been an extremely windy year, but not the windiest. That’s for sure. In the last 20 years, 2011 was the rock star among all the years. Those were some serious dust storms that year,” said McCollum.

One of those storms shut down Interstate 10.

The data is based on wind activity from April 1 to May 31, and McCollum said the more frequent winds are not related to climate change.