The National Weather Service issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties effective at 7:59 PM MST on August 9, expiring at 9:00 PM MST. At the time of issuance, a wall of dust extended from 9 miles southwest of Big Horn to 7 miles east of Freeman to 12 miles northwest of Chui-Chu, moving northwest at 25 mph with winds exceeding 50 mph.
Visibility is expected to drop below a quarter mile, creating dangerous life-threatening travel conditions. The warning affects Interstate 8 between mile markers 106 and 172, Route 238 between mile markers 1 and 44, and Route 85 between mile markers 1 and 134. Affected locations include Gila Bend, Maricopa, Estrella, Big Horn, and Ak-Chin Village. Drivers should avoid the dust storm 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 10/08/2026 03:00
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 03:00. Every claim traces to a source.
