The National Weather Service issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties at 9:17 PM MST on August 23, effective until 9:30 PM MST. At the time of issuance, a wall of dust extended from Fountain Hills to Piestewa Peak Park to Phoenix International Raceway, moving northwest at 30 mph with visibility reduced to less than one quarter mile and winds exceeding 50 mph.
The warning affects multiple highways including Interstate 10 between mile markers 125 and 160, Interstate 17 between mile markers 195 and 215, and Route 51 between mile markers 1 and 15. Impacted areas include Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, Avondale, Goodyear, Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Tolleson, Laveen, Cashion, East Mesa, and Sun City. The National Weather Service advises motorists to avoid driving into the dust storm; 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 24/08/2026 04:19
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 24/08/2026 04:19. Every claim traces to a source.
