Dust Storm Warning: Pinal, Arizona

The National Weather Service office in Phoenix, Arizona issued a Dust Storm Warning for Pinal, Arizona on Friday, October 16, 2026. It has expired.
What the Weather Service said
The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a * Dust Storm Warning for... Pinal County in southeastern Arizona... * Until 1245 PM MST. * At 1044 AM MST, a plume of dust was located 8 miles north of Maricopa, or 8 miles west of Sun Lakes, and was stationary along Highway 347. HAZARD...Less than a quarter mile visibility. SOURCE...Satellite observations and traffic cameras. IMPACT...Dangerous life-threatening travel. * Locations impacted include... Mainly rural areas of Pinal County. This includes AZ Route 347 between mile markers 180 and 184.
What to do
Motorists should not drive into a dust storm. PULL ASIDE STAY ALIVE! Dust storms lead to dangerous driving conditions with visibility reduced to near zero. If driving, avoid dust storms if possible. If caught in one, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake. There is no safe place on a highway when a dust storm hits. Visibility can be lost immediately, making it difficult or impossible to slow down and avoid stopped vehicles. Delay travel, or safely exit the highway before the dust storm arrives.
What a dust storm warning means
Blowing dust will cut visibility to a quarter mile (400 m) or less. If you are driving, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.
Watch or warning?
A watch means conditions are right for a hazard to develop: be prepared. A warning means it is happening or about to happen: take action now. Advisories are for less serious hazards that still call for caution.
Did you know?
Turn around, don't drown. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, and 12 inches can carry away most cars.
Official, current information: weather.gov forecast for this area. See every U.S. warning that day.
More: U.S. weather warnings · all events
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