Dust Storm Warning: Warning focused on southeastern Valley and nearby counties
A dust storm warning was issued Wednesday evening, Aug. 19, for parts of the Phoenix area, including portions of Maricopa and Pinal counties. The latest available reports placed the warning through 10:15 p.m. MST for sections of the East Valley and major roads near Phoenix and Mesa, but other reports listed an earlier expiration time for parts of the warned area. ABC15 azcentral
Warning focused on southeastern Valley and nearby counties
The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued the warning for Maricopa County in south-central Arizona and Pinal County in southeastern Arizona. At 9:14 p.m. MST, a wall of dust was reported along a line from Kings Ranch through Queen Creek to near Chandler Heights, moving northwest at 30 mph. azcentral
ABC15 reported that strong winds and blowing dust were moving toward the southeastern Valley, with thunderstorms developing behind the outflow. Its update said a warning applied to southeastern portions of the metro area. ABC15
The warning also affected travel corridors. ABC15 reported an alert through 10:15 p.m. MST for I-10, I-17 and US-60 near Phoenix and Mesa. AZFamily likewise reported that a warning had been issued for much of the East Valley just after 9 p.m. ABC15 AZFamily
The reports do not give one consistent expiration time or identical boundaries. KTAR reported a warning for Queen Creek and areas of Pinal County until 8:45 p.m. MST, while azcentral and later updates from ABC15 and AZFamily listed warning coverage lasting until 10:15 p.m. for broader or different portions of the area. Available reporting does not establish whether the differences reflect separate warning areas, later updates or an extension.
Dust accompanied a broader monsoon storm threat
The dust developed as outflow boundaries moved toward the greater Phoenix area and additional thunderstorms formed behind them. KTAR reported that the dust wall was moving northwest at 25 mph and could reduce visibility to one-quarter mile. KTAR
The Phoenix metro area and parts of central and southern Arizona were also under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m. MST. Reports cited possible wind gusts of up to 70 mph, along with isolated hail and frequent lightning. ABC15 separately reported severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and high winds moving through the Valley. KTAR ABC15
A separate blowing-dust advisory covered areas including southern and western parts of the Phoenix metro area, Buckeye and Avondale, South Mountain and Ahwatukee, and the Southeast Valley and Queen Creek. ABC15 said some locations could see visibility fall to a mile or less, with wind gusts over 45 mph possible. AZFamily ABC15
What drivers were told
The weather reports warned drivers not to enter a dust storm because visibility can fall to near zero. If caught in one, the National Weather Service guidance repeated by azcentral was to pull off the road, turn off the vehicle’s lights and keep a foot off the brake. azcentral
Yahoo’s report advised drivers not to attempt to drive through blowing dust and to pull over until visibility improves. Yahoo News
The latest available reports describe the warning as an evening event on Aug. 19, with the most recent cited expiration time of 10:15 p.m. MST for parts of the East Valley and nearby routes. They do not confirm a subsequent extension or a later warning.