More than one million people in southern Arizona were placed under a blowing dust advisory on Wednesday, as authorities warned of significant hazards from sudden storms capable of reducing visibility to near zero.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued advisories for large portions of the region, including the Tucson metro area, western Pima County, the Tohono O’odham Nation, and parts of Pinal, Graham, and Cochise counties. The warnings, active through Wednesday evening, cautioned that strong thunderstorm outflows could generate wind gusts of 40-45 mph.
These conditions can rapidly create dangerous haboob-like dust walls, increasing the risk of multi-vehicle crashes on highways and rural roads. Officials specifically highlighted Interstate 10 corridors, including the stretch between Tucson and Phoenix and the San Simon Valley, as areas of elevated risk.
Motorists encountering blowing dust were instructed to pull off the road as far as possible, put the vehicle in park, turn all lights off, and keep their foot off the brake pedal—a safety protocol known as “Pull Aside, Stay Alive.”
In addition to the traffic hazards, the suspended dust poses health risks, particularly for individuals with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health officials advised vulnerable populations to remain indoors with windows and doors closed and to limit physical exertion until the storm passed.
Authorities anticipated the dust would move westward across southeast Arizona before affecting central Pima and southeast Pinal counties. Looking ahead, an NWS meteorologist noted that a wet weather pattern is expected to arrive later in the week, with incoming rain likely to reduce the risk of further dust storms.
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