Arizona monsoon season brings Category 3 dust storm to Phoenix
ASU researchers classify massive Arizona dust storm as Category 3
A dust storm swept across Arizona on Sunday night, bringing 39 mph wind gusts and severely reducing visibility on highways. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz hears from a storm chaser and ASU researcher about just how massive the weather event was.
PHOENIX - Monsoon season is officially underway in Arizona. Drivers in and around Phoenix encountered a wall of heavy dust, rain, and wind gusts experts say were up to 39 mph when the storm came through on July 12.
What they're saying:
"You had visibility that was definitely lowered across much of Loop 202, I-10, kind of west side," said Ryan Heintzman, a teaching professor at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at ASU.
Storm chaser and photographer Mike Olbinski was near the Casa Grande area when the dust rolled in. While it wasn’t the craziest storm he’s covered, he says its size was impressive.
"In actuality, it extended almost all the way from Mexico up to where we were by Gila Bend and into Phoenix and Buckeye. So the size and scope of it was pretty wild yesterday," Olbinski said.
Massive haboob sweeps over downtown Phoenix on July 12.
What we know:
ASU researchers recently launched a dust storm scale to classify the storms' severity. ASU teaching professor Ryan Heintzman says the July 12 storm was a Category 3 event out of 5, bringing four hours of high dust and 39 mph wind gusts.
"So it was a pretty moderately strong event. We don't have these too often," Heintzman said.
ASU researchers classified the massive Arizona dust storm on July 12 as a Category 3.
Local perspective:
The conditions automatically activated the Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT) dust detection system on the most vulnerable section of I-10. Sensors worked as planned, reducing speed limits to 45 mph and slowing down drivers.
What you can do:
But ADOT says the best thing you can do in a dust storm is not drive in one at all.
"If you find yourself in one, pull off the road. Turn off your engine. Turn off your lights. Take your foot off the brake. Wait it out," said ADOT spokesperson Garin Groff.
Monday's Storm:
On July 13, rain started around 6 p.m. in the eastern Phoenix area, and moved west. FOX 10's Andrew Christiansen spotted the first rain in Mesa, near Crismon and US 60, prior to the massive wall of dust. Visibility dropped where the Loop 202 and US 60 meet. Around 7 p.m., more rain arrived near the 202 and SR-51.
In the east Coronado neighborhood in Phoenix, neighbors were helping another neighbor clear a fallen tree out of her driveway.
"My wife and son were further away. They were waiting for the storm to pass," neighbor Brandon Gartley said. "We've become really close with everyone here, and we try to help each other out. We're gone for vacations, people pull out the recycling bins, the trash bins and we just try to look out for each other."
Dig deeper:
Unlike hurricane classifications, the category measurement of a dust storm is only released after the storm occurs, not beforehand. So the hours and days after these storms are when experts learn the most about them.
To learn more about ASU's dust storm scale, click here.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from ASU teaching professor Ryan Heintzman, storm chaser and photographer Mike Olbinski, and ADOT spokesperson Garin Groff.