The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties effective at 9:14 PM MST on August 19, expiring at 10:15 PM MST. At the time of issuance, a wall of dust extended from Kings Ranch to near Queen Creek to near Chandler Heights, moving northwest at 30 mph. Visibility dropped to less than one-quarter mile with winds in excess of 50 mph.
The warning affects Interstate 10 between mile markers 144 and 173, Interstate 17 between mile markers 195 and 200, and Route 51 between mile markers 1 and 4. Impacted locations 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. 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 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.
