Dust Storm — Upper Gila River Valley, Arizona

2009-08-02 · Upper Gila River Valley, Arizona

Event narrative

Law enforcement reported 1/4 mile visibility in blowing dust at Guthrie, with strong winds in progress. A trained spotter reported a visibility of 50 feet in blowing dust, along Highway 75, 4 miles southeast of Guthrie. Law enforcement reported 50 feet visibility in blowing dust at the Graham County sheriff office.

Wider weather episode

High pressure aloft shifted to northern New Mexico, provided light easterly flow to southeast Arizona. Thunderstorms that formed on the White Mountains and near the Mogollon Rim slowly moved southwest. With an unseasonably dry boundary layer, storms struggled to maintain themselves. As the thunderstorms collapsed, their outflow generated widespread areas of blowing dust.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 176638. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.