The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa County on July 12 at 8:01 p.m. MST, effective until 9:00 p.m. MST. At the time of issuance, a wall of dust extended from near Metro Center to near Waddell to near Palo Verde to near Gila Bend, moving north at 40 mph. Visibility dropped to less than a quarter mile with winds exceeding 40 mph.
The warning affected major highways including Interstate 10 between mile markers 74 and 125, Interstate 8 between mile markers 89 and 114, and US Highway 60 between mile markers 99 and 154. Impacted communities included Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye, El Mirage, Wickenburg, and Sun City West. The NWS advised drivers to avoid dust storms if possible; if caught in one, pull off the road, turn off lights, and keep your foot off the brake.
Source: National Weather Service.
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- National Weather Service retrieved 13/07/2026 03:05
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 13/07/2026 03:05. Every claim traces to a source.
