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Clearing from the west is expected this afternoon but it will be followed by a cold front, the forecasts.

Gusts in the area can reach about 60 miles per hour, and a high wind watch will continue here until 8 p.m. 

Catalina Highway, the road to Mount Lemmon, was closed due to wind and ice on the road.

The Pima County Sheriff's Road Condition Hotline can be reached at (520) 547-7510. Go to to get road information compiled by the Pima Association of Government.

Real-time highway conditions are available on the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Department of Transportation's ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Traveler Information site at . It is also available by downloading the , calling 511 or through ADOT’s Twitter feed, .

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s gusty day is part of a winter storm making its way across the U.S., the Associated Press reports.

The storm will have winds capable of downing power lines and trees in the Southwest. Wind gusts could hit 55 mph in metropolitan Phoenix today.

Other cities in the Southwest will see even higher wind speeds, leading to blowing dust and snow.

Up to a foot of snow could fall in northern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ with lesser amounts at lower elevations.

Some schools in Flagstaff announced closures ahead of the storm. Weather forecasters and local and state officials encouraged drivers to stay off the roads, the AP reported.

The storm system will carry over into New Mexico with high winds, rain and possibly snow across the state Wednesday, including in the Albuquerque area. A high wind warning is in effect for most of New Mexico through Thursday morning, with wind gusts of up to 70 mph, the weather service there said.

Those winds speeds also could materialize in Nevada, where forecasters have issued a dust advisory for Clark County, which includes Las Vegas.