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Severe Weather Alerts Issued for Arizona Amid Dust Storms and Thunderstorms

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Arizona Dust Storm And Thunderstorm

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The National Weather Service has issued a dust storm warning for a large area of the Valley, including the city of Maricopa, effective until 5:45 p.m. on Sunday. At 5:15 p.m., a severe thunderstorm warning was also declared for parts of Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler Heights, San Tan Mountain Park, San Tan Valley, and Seville, remaining in effect until 6 p.m.

Strong winds were reported, including a gust of 67 mph noted in Chandler around 5:20 p.m. The alerts came as about 2,000 customers from SRP and 1,500 customers from APS lost power in the Valley and Pinal County, respectively.

Earlier in the afternoon, the NWS had also warned about dust storms and severe thunderstorms affecting portions of Pinal County. A wall of dust was observed at 3:50 p.m., moving northwest at 25 mph along a line from near Coolidge Airport to southeastern areas of the county.

At 4:08 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was recorded over Pinal Airpark, moving northwest at 20 mph, with wind gusts expected to reach up to 60 mph and possible quarter-sized hail. The warning covered Casa Grande, Coolidge, Maricopa, and Sweetwater and expired at 5 p.m.

In Yuma, a flash flood warning is in effect until 7:30 p.m. due to strong storms in western Yuma County and southeastern Imperial County, California. A flash flood warning also applies to parts of the Tucson area until 5:30 p.m., where forecasters noted one to two inches of rain already fell, affecting mainly rural areas of south-central Pima County.

Weather patterns are expected to shift this week, with showers and thunderstorms in the Valley on Monday and Tuesday. A flood watch is also in effect for southwest Arizona due to strong thunderstorms that may bring heavy rain and flooding.

The region’s weather could see continued showers, thunderstorms, and cooler temperatures as moisture moves into the state. A blowing dust advisory is active in the southeast Valley and Pinal County until 7 p.m. today, potentially impacting evening commuting.

Looking ahead, high temperatures are forecasted to trend lower, with a high of 99 degrees on Tuesday, followed by highs around 101-102 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. Expect a warm weekend with temperatures reaching around 106 degrees.

Meanwhile, Atlantic weather systems are developing, including Tropical Storm Fernand, which formed over the Atlantic and is expected to strengthen as it moves northward. It should pass east of Bermuda without significant impacts to the island.