Winds from nearby thunderstorms generated areas of blowing dust in southwest Arizona.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PSR wrote it up.
Winds from nearby thunderstorms generated areas of blowing dust in southwest Arizona.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 7, 2:55 PM MST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 255 PM MST MON JUL 7 2008 SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION .SYNOPSIS... MOISTURE OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERTS THIS AFTERNOON WILL LEAD TO A THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALEY EASTWARD. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST MID WEEK...DECREASING AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND CONFINING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAINLY TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA. A WEATHER DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...INCREASING AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY/TONIGHT...SAT IMAGERY AND RADAR TRENDS THIS AFTERNOON SHOW ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER YAVAPAI AND SOUTHERN MOHAVE COUNTIES. STORMS ARE SLOW MOVING...AT BEST...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST INTO LA PAZ AND NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTIES AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON. STILL CALLING FOR AN UPSWING IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING OVER THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA...WITH THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY FAVORED OVER THE EASTERN VALLEY FOR MEASURABLE PRECIP. AT ANY RATE...STEERING FLOW TODAY HAS CHANGED TO A MORE NORTH/NORTHEASTERLY FLOW AT AROUND 15-20KT BETWEEN 700-500MB...AND THIS SHOULD HELP STORMS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MOGOLLON RIM PROPAGATE INTO THE LOWER DESERTS. PWATERS OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ DESERTS REMAIN IN 1.30-1.50 RANGE...WITH ESTIMATED AFTERNOON MEAN LAYER 850-700MB MIXING RATIOS ON THE ORDER OF 10G/KG. GIVEN THE MOISTURE IN PLACE AND CLEAR SKIES FOR MAXIMUM HEATING...WE SHOULD END UP WITH 800-1000 J/KG OF CAPE THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE DESERTS FROM ABOUT YUMA EAST TO PHOENIX. TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY...MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE DRIER AIR TO THE NORTH/NORTHEAST WILL WORK IT/S WAY INTO THE LOWER DESERTS...DECREASING 850-700MB TD AND THUS POTENTIAL INSTABILITY OVER THE DESERTS. MEANWHILE...THE WEST COAST RIDGE WILL BUILD EASTWARD AND TEMPS WILL WARM A FEW DEG OVER THE WESTERN CWA...LITTLE CHANGE OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF OUR FORECAST AREA. FCST SHOWS A DOWNWARD TREND IN CONVECTION TUE/WED FROM PHX WESTWARD...WHILE HANGING ONTO TO SLIGHT CHANCE/CHANCE POPS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY. THURSDAY/FRIDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW 700MB INVERTED TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO AND INTO THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE...WELL SEE IN INCREASE IN LOW-MID LEVEL MOISTURE UNDER A MORE EASTERLY/SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW. THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE OVER MUCH OF THE CWA THU/FRI....SPREADING AS FAR WEST AS IMPERIAL AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES...WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CWA WIDE. THE MORE MOIST AIRMASS WILL ALSO KEEP TEMPS IN CHECK...WITH HIGHS JUST UNDER NEAR NORMAL FOR EARLY/MID JULY. UPCOMING WEEKEND...DONT SEE ANYTHING AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO SCOUR OUT THE SHARP INCREASE IN MOISTURE FROM THU/FRI...SO WILL CONTINUE LOW/MOD GRADE MONSOON POP FCST...FAVORING THE HIGHER TERRAIN NORTH AND EAST OF THE GREATER PHX AREA. && .AVIATION... MAIN CHANGE TO THE 18Z TAFS WERE TO INCLUDE VCTS AT KIWA FOR THIS EVENING. CONFIDENCE INCREASING THAT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AIRFIELD. POSSIBILITY DOES EXIST THAT AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WITH WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35KT WILL MOVE NORTHWESTWARD TOWARDS KIWA AND AN OUTSIDE CHANCE THAT IT WILL REACH KPHX DURING THE 01Z-05Z WINDOW. ELSEWHERE...WINDS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN LIGHT WITH A SOUTHERLY COMPONENT. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS. && .FIRE WEATHER... AFTER A RELATIVE LULL IN MONSOON TSTM COVERAGE...ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ON THE UPSWING AFTER WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL MOISTURE WILL ENTER THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHEAST AROUND A STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES...WITH SEVERAL WEATHER IMPULSES ADDING TO THE IMPETUS FOR INCREASED SHOWER/TSTM COVERAGE. THE THREAT OF SGFNT RAINFALL WILL INCREASE MOST AREAS FROM AZ INTO SE CA AND...OF COURSE SURFACE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE ON THE INCREASE AFTER MIDWEEK...ALONG WITH A GRADUAL MODERATION IN AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...WANEK AVIATION...HIRSCH FIRE WEATHER...ESTLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 559 AM MST MON JUL 7 2008 AZZ021>023-026>028-081330- WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY- GREATER PHOENIX AREA-SOUTHWEST DESERTS-SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY- NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- 559 AM MST MON JUL 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS...MOST NUMEROUS IN THE EVENING. THE STRONGER STORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...BLOWING DUST...BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE WILL BE AN INCREASING CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE STRONGER STORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...BLOWING DUST...HEAVY RAINS AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ024-081330- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- 559 AM MST MON JUL 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY CONTAIN STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY CONTAIN STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ020-025-CAZ030>033-081330- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- 559 AM MST MON JUL 7 2008 /559 AM PDT MON JUL 7 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...BLOWING DUST AND SAND...AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Large area of blowing dust reported by DPS. At about the same time there was a report of a 52 mph wind at the Yuma Proving Ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 126880.