Dust Storm and High Wind in Arizona, April 3, 2009

Name: Dust Storm and High Wind in Arizona, April 3, 2009
Start: 2009-04-03T08:38
End: 2009-04-03T22:39
Location: Arizona

April 3, 2009 · NWS FGZ · 14 events in 13 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system approaching Arizona brought damaging winds, blowing dust, blowing sand to northern portions of the state.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $12,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system approaching Arizona brought damaging winds, blowing dust, blowing sand to northern portions of the state.

What forecasters said that day

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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 3, 3:55 AM MST, 4 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 3:55 AM MST, 4 hours 43 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 3, 4:00 AM MST, 4 hours 38 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 3, 8:35 AM MST, 3 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high wind, 2 dust storm, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County

When: April 3, 8:38 AM MST to 10:38 PM MST
Where: Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Spotter near I-40 and Leupp Road reported 68 MPH winds and visibility down to 100 feet in blowing dust. I-40 was shut down due to the strong winds and blowing dust. An anemometer on the edge of Meteor Crater recorded a peak wind gust of 91 MPH. The edge of the crater often has much stronger winds than the surrounding area due to the topography of the crater. Tuba City reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH.

High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County

When: April 3, 8:38 AM MST to 10:38 PM MST
Where: Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Winslow ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 69 MPH.

High Wind, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264

When: April 3, 8:38 AM MST to 10:38 PM MST
Where: Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264 forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Significant sand dune formation was reported around Dilkon due to the very strong winds. Nearby anemometers suggest the wind gusts were up to 72 MPH.

High Wind, Yavapai County Mountains

When: April 3, 10:04 AM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak wind gust of 58 MPH was reported in Prescott. A wind gust to 71 MPH were recorded in Seligman on the northern border of the zone.

Dust Storm, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264

When: April 3, 10:30 AM MST to 3:30 PM MST
Where: Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264 forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ht e Kykotsmovi Police Department relayed reports from drives of only a few feet visibility at times in blowing dust.

Dust Storm, Chinle Valley

When: April 3, 10:30 AM MST to 2:30 PM MST
Where: Chinle Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Navajo Police Department in Chinle reported zero visibility in blowing dust with significant traffic back ups on highways. The Canyon de Chelly National Monument reported visibility near 1/8 of a mile in blowing dust.

High Wind, Western Mogollon Rim

When: April 3, 10:45 AM MST to 10:16 PM MST
Where: Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH in Doney Park. Flagstaff Police Department reported visibility less than 50 feet on I-40 east of Flagstaff with several traffic accidents by 1100 AM.

High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County

When: April 3, 11:39 AM MST to 10:39 PM MST
Where: Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The St Johns Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 61 MPH. A spotter in Sanders reported a peak wind gust of 68 MPH at around 1:50 PM. The Petrified Forest National Park reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH.

High Wind, Eastern Mogollon Rim

When: April 3, 2:00 PM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Show Low Airport reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH.

High Wind, Coconino Plateau

When: April 3, 3:00 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Coconino Plateau forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 71 MPH were recorded in Seligman on the southern border of the zone. The Fraziers Well RAWS recorded wind gusts to 58 MPH.

High Wind, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North

When: April 3, 3:00 PM MST to 3:40 PM MST
Where: Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An anemometer in Tuba City just 5 miles over the zone boundary reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH.

High Wind, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau

When: April 3, 3:40 PM MST to 7:50 PM MST
Where: Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A peak wind gusts to 66 MPH with sustained winds to 44 MPH were recorded in Window Rock.

Strong Wind, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins

When: April 3, 4:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County Valleys and Basins forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $12,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter in Chino Valley reported strong wind (52 MPH) that blew down fences and caused shingle damage on multiple homes. A 15 foot tower similar to a hunting blind was knocked over even though the posts were set in concrete.

High Wind, White Mountains

When: April 3, 4:30 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where: White Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Show Low Airport recorded peak wind gusts to 60 MPH on the northwestern edge of this zone.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Dust Storm: Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.
Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, April 2009

Sources

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: 158113, 158114, 158119, 158199, 158121, 158188, 158116, 158115, 158117, 158112, 158200, 158201, 158120, 158118.