Dust Storm — Greater Phoenix Area, Arizona

2013-08-26 · Greater Phoenix Area, Arizona

Event narrative

Intense thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours to the south of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, and they produced gusty outflow winds in excess of 50 mph. The winds spread to the north and into the greater Phoenix area by about 1800MST, and as they moved in they generated dust storm conditions. At 1803MST a trained weather spotter 4 miles southeast of Tumbleweed Park in Chandler reported visibility down below 100 feet in dense blowing dust. Shortly thereafter he measured a wind gust to 62 mph. Another trained spotter 1 mile southeast of Ahwatukee reported a dust storm with visibility down to one quarter mile. Several other spotters in the Phoenix area reported dust storm conditions, and the winds were strong enough to uproot trees in Goodyear. A Dust Storm Warning was issued for the greater Phoenix area at 1741MST and it was cancelled at 1941MST.

Wider weather episode

The atmosphere across south central Arizona was very moist and unstable on August 26th, due in part to lingering moisture that had spread in earlier from former tropical storm Ivo. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across much of south central Arizona during the middle of the afternoon, and they continued into the evening hours. The storms produced a wide variety of weather which affected much of Maricopa and northwest Pinal counties, including the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Flooding and flash flooding, strong and damaging thunderstorm outflow winds, dust storms and hail were all produced at one time or another.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 468588. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.