Dust Storm Warning Issued for Maricopa and Pinal Counties
The National Weather Service has issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties in Arizona until 1:45 PM MST.
At 1:03 PM MST, a wall of dust was tracked along a line from near Luke Air Force Base to 14 miles south of Maricopa, moving northeast at 30 mph. The system is bringing strong winds in excess of 40 mph and reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile.
Public reports confirmed the dust storm, which creates dangerous, life-threatening travel conditions across the affected region. Impacted locations include Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Avondale, Goodyear, Casa Grande, El Mirage, Paradise Valley, Tolleson, Youngtown, Laveen, Sun Lakes, and Cashion.
Numerous highways are affected by the warning, including segments of Interstate 8, Interstate 10, Interstate 17, US Highway 60, Arizona Route 51, Arizona Route 87, Arizona Route 101, Arizona Route 202, Arizona Route 238, Arizona Route 287, Arizona Route 303, Arizona Route 347, and Arizona Route 303.
Motorists are advised that dust storms lead to dangerous driving conditions with visibility reduced to near zero. Anyone who must report hazardous dust conditions can contact the National Weather Service or the nearest law enforcement agency.