Highlights
- The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning effective 9:54 p.m. MST August 9, expiring 11 p.m. MST.
- Visibility is below a quarter mile with winds exceeding 50 mph along I-10 between mile markers 64 and 116.
- Affected highways also include US Highway 60 and AZ Route 85; Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station is among named impacted locations.
- NWS warns strong to severe thunderstorms are possible behind the dust wall — drivers should pull off, turn off lights, and keep foot off the brake.
DUST STORM WARNING: The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning at 9:54 p.m. MST Monday for east central La Paz County and Maricopa County, in effect until 11 p.m. MST.
At 9:54 p.m., a wall of dust was along a line extending from 11 miles east of Aguila to 8 miles northwest of Tonopah to near Painted Rock Dam, moving west at 20 mph. The NWS cited Doppler radar as its source and rated the hazard as less than a quarter mile visibility with winds in excess of 50 mph, conditions the agency described as dangerous and life-threatening for travel.
Three major corridors are directly in the warning zone: AZ Interstate 10 between mile markers 64 and 116, US Highway 60 between mile markers 66 and 107, and AZ Route 85 between mile markers 136 and 154. Named impacted locations include Buckeye, Tonopah, Palo Verde, Aguila, Painted Rock Dam, Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station, Wintersburg, Gladden, Hassayampa, and Arlington.
The NWS advises motorists to avoid the storm if possible. If caught in one, drivers should pull off the road, turn off their lights, and keep their foot off the brake. The agency's stated guidance: "PULL ASIDE STAY ALIVE."
Strong to severe thunderstorms are also possible behind the dust wall. The NWS urged the public to keep updated with what it called a quickly evolving situation. The warning expires at 11 p.m. MST.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- api.weather.gov retrieved 10/08/2026 04:55
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 10/08/2026 04:55. Every claim traces to a source.
