Highlights
- The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning at 9:14 p.m. MST Wednesday for Maricopa and Pinal counties.
- Visibility dropped below a quarter mile with winds exceeding 50 mph along a line from Kings Ranch to near Chandler Heights.
- AZ Interstate 10 between mile markers 144 and 173, I-17 between 195 and 200, and AZ Route 51 between mile markers 1 and 4 are all affected.
- Drivers caught in the storm should pull off the road, turn off their lights, and keep their foot off the brake.
DUST STORM WARNING: The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning at 9:14 p.m. MST Wednesday for Maricopa and Pinal counties, in effect until 10:15 p.m. MST. The agency rated the event severe.
At 9:14 p.m., a wall of dust was tracking along a line extending from Kings Ranch to near Queen Creek to near Chandler Heights, moving northwest at 30 mph. The NWS cited Doppler radar as its source. Visibility is less than a quarter mile, with winds in excess of 50 mph. The agency characterized travel conditions as "dangerous life-threatening."
Affected highways include AZ Interstate 10 between mile markers 144 and 173, AZ Interstate 17 between mile markers 195 and 200, and AZ Route 51 between mile markers 1 and 4. Impacted communities include Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Laveen, East Mesa, Gold Canyon, Sun Lakes, Queen Creek, and Tempe Marketplace.
The NWS advises drivers to avoid dust storms if possible. Anyone caught in one should pull off the road immediately, turn off their lights, and keep their foot off the brake. The warning expires at 10:15 p.m. MST.
Sources
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- api.weather.gov retrieved 20/08/2026 04:15
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 20/08/2026 04:15. Every claim traces to a source.
