Dust Storm — Southwest Maricopa County, Arizona

2012-05-09 · Southwest Maricopa County, Arizona

Event narrative

An upper level low pressure system moving east across southern Arizona spread moisture into eastern Arizona and led to the development of scattered thunderstorms over the central deserts during the afternoon hours on May 9th. The storms generated gusty microburst winds in excess of 60 knots, and the outflow winds moving over dry ground produced a series of dust storms. One of the dust storms moved into southwest Maricopa county late in the afternoon and impacted the community of Gila Bend. At 616 PM, the official weather station at the Gila Bend airport measured a peak wind gust to 49 knots and reported zero mile visibility in a dust storm.

Wider weather episode

An upper level low presssure system moving east across southern Arizona on May 9th spread moisture into eastern Arizona, and this led to the development of scattered thunderstorms over the lower central deserts during the afternoon hours. Some of the storms produced gusty microburst winds in excess of 60 knots, and the outflow winds moving over dry ground produced a series of dust storms which affected both the greater Phoenix metropolitan area and the area around Gila Bend.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 370677. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.