Wind gusts over 90 mph were reported "consistently over several hours" Tuesday night on Mount Hopkins, in the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson, the National Weather Service says.
Mount Hopkins is exposed to the southeast and typically gets its strong winds from that direction, said Emily Carpenter, a weather service meteorologist. She hadn't heard any reports of damage related to Tuesday night's winds, which were strongest there between 7 p.m. and midnight.Β
The 8,553-foot mountain is home to the Smithsonian Institution's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, which boasts the third-largest optical telescope in the continental United States. The 6.5-meter MMT is jointly operated by the Smithsonian and the University of Arizona.Β
