Arizona, 2010Dust Storm and High Wind in Arizona, April 28 to 29, 2010
April 28 to 29, 2010 · NWS FGZ · 18 events in 14 counties and zones
A low pressure center moving across the western United States produced strong winds and significant blowing dust across northern Arizona. The winds caused power outages and the dust caused road closures.
Every event with a place to put it; 18 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 18
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.
A low pressure center moving across the western United States produced strong winds and significant blowing dust across northern Arizona. The winds caused power outages and the dust caused road closures.
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 28, 3:30 AM MST, 34 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 3:30 AM MST, 34 minutes before
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</html>High Wind, Kaibab Plateau
- When
- April 28, 4:04 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Kaibab Plateau forecast zone
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- AWOS
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An automated weather station reported peak wind gusts of 58 MPH.
High Wind, Western Mogollon Rim
- When
- April 28, 5:30 AM MST to 6:30 PM MST
- Where
- Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Doney Park had wind gusts to 61 MPH.
High Wind, Marble Canyon and Glen Canyon
- When
- April 28, 10:05 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Marble Canyon and Glen Canyon forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An automated weather station in House Rock Valley reported a peak wind gust of 64 MPH.
High Wind, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North
- When
- April 28, 10:05 AM MST to 6:05 PM MST
- Where
- Northeast Plateaus and Mesas From Highway 264 North forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wind gusts to 60 MPH were estimated across the area based on the mesonet site at Tuba City just outside of this zone.
Dust Storm, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County
- When
- April 28, 11:00 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blowing dust reduced the visibility down to 10 feet at times across the Little Colorado River Valley at times from late morning through late evening. Interstate 40 was close for much of the time.
Dust Storm, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County
- When
- April 28, 11:00 AM MST to April 29, 12:00 AM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blowing dust reduced the visibility down to 10 feet at times across the Little Colorado River Valley at times from late morning through late evening. Interstate 40 was close for much of that time.
High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County
- When
- April 28, 11:20 AM MST to 6:20 PM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County forecast zone
- Measured
- 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The ADOT anemometer at Two Guns measured a peak wind gust of 73 MPH.Tuba City had wind gusts to 60 MPH.
High Wind, Chinle Valley
- When
- April 28, 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Chinle Valley forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The wind gusts were estimated at 55 to 60 MPH across at Canyon de Chelly.
High Wind, Eastern Mogollon Rim
- When
- April 28, 12:24 PM MST to April 29, 3:24 AM MST
- Where
- Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- RAWS
- Coordinates
- 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Limestone RAWS reported a peak wind gust of 63 MPH.
Dust Storm, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264
- When
- April 28, 1:00 PM MST to 11:00 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)
Blowing dust reduced the visibility down to 30 feet at times in Dilkon and across the area at times from late morning through late evening.
Dust Storm, Chinle Valley
- When
- April 28, 1:00 PM MST to 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Chinle Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blowing dust reduced the visibility less than 100 feet at times in Kayenta, and Many Farms, and across the Chinle Valley from early afternoon morning through late evening. Interstate 40 was close for much of the time.
High Wind, Grand Canyon Country
- When
- April 28, 1:09 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Grand Canyon Country forecast zone
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Estimated wind gusts reached 58 MPH.
High Wind, Coconino Plateau
- When
- April 28, 3:09 PM MST to 8:09 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino Plateau forecast zone
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Unknown
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winds gusts were estimated to have reached 58 MPH.
High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County
- When
- April 28, 3:18 PM MST to 11:18 PM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County forecast zone
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The peak wind gust at the St Johns Airport was 61 MPH.
High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County
- When
- April 28, 3:53 PM MST to April 29, 2:56 AM MST
- Where
- Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County forecast zone
- Measured
- 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The wind at the Winslow Airport gusted over 58 MPH close to 11 hours. There were power outages and power poles were blown down in Winslow.
High Wind, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau
- When
- April 28, 3:58 PM MST to 7:58 PM MST
- Where
- Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau forecast zone
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Window Rock ASOS reported wind gusts to 60 MPH.
High Wind, Black Mesa Area
- When
- April 28, 4:00 PM MST to April 29, 3:45 AM MST
- Where
- Black Mesa Area forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wind gusts to 65 MPH were estimated across the area using ASOSs in adjoining zones.
High Wind, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264
- When
- April 28, 4:00 PM MST to April 29, 3:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Highway 264 forecast zone
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winds gusts to 65 MPH were estimated by using ASOS readings in adjoining zones.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- High Wind and Winter Weather in California, April 28 to 29, 2010$200,000 · 55 kt wind · 2 events
- Frost and Freeze in Kentucky, April 28, 201031 events
- High Wind in North Dakota, April 28, 2010$30,000 · 55 kt wind · 1 event
- Winter Storm in Montana, April 28 to 30, 201014 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, April 28 to 30, 201013 events
- High Wind in New Mexico, April 28 to 29, 201051 kt wind · 6 events
- Dust Storm and High Wind in Arizona, April 28 to 29, 201056 kt wind · 5 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Arizona, April 28, 2010$10,000 · 63 kt wind · 4 events
- Winter Weather in Utah, April 28 to 30, 20103 events
- Heavy Snow in Montana, April 28 to 30, 20103 events
- Frost and Freeze in Connecticut, April 28, 20102 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, April 28, 201056 kt wind · 2 events
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 224268, 225316, 224272, 225305, 225341, 225342, 225309, 225306, 225318, 225344, 225346, 224274, 224396, 225312, 225311, 225308, 225319, 225320.