>>2740322WY and NM are more well known for their wind, and most of the extreme wind events in AZ occur on the Rim, but they can also occur in the transition zone during the main spring wind season. In the southern AZ deserts and mountains and uplands, the windiest events (60+ mph gusts, 30+ mph sustained) tend to occur during monsoons rather than in spring. If you look at maps of wind events in AZ, it is directly related to topography (of which AZ is no slouch, being 65% mountainous), 90% of Arizona live below 4,000 feet ASL and don't normally experience these events however. As another example, random mountain peaks in the transition zone have estimated gusts above 130 mph every year, and both CA and CO have random mountain gusts records of over 200 mph. Most western states have similar estimated records, but they aren't directly recorded because most of the west is unpopulated mountains and wilderness.