Arizona, 2013Dust Storm and Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 2, 2013
July 2, 2013 · NWS PSR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
Isolated thunderstorms developed and moved west across portions of Maricopa county during the early morning hours on July 2nd. The storms generated gusty winds in excess of 50 mph which led to locally dense blowing dust which affected portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.
Every event with a place to put it. 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
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
Isolated thunderstorms developed and moved west across portions of Maricopa county during the early morning hours on July 2nd. The storms generated gusty winds in excess of 50 mph which led to locally dense blowing dust which affected portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. The dense blowing dust was not widespread enough to warrant a Dust Storm Warning, however.
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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 2, 3:00 AM MST, 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 3:00 AM MST, 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 AM MST TUE JUL 2 2013
.SYNOPSIS...
AN UNUSUALLY STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE
WESTERN STATES THROUGH THE WEEK...WITH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY
CONTINUING ABOVE AVERAGE. INCREASING HUMIDITY AND CLOUDS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED AND INCREASED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR
BLOWING DUST ACROSS THE LOWER DESERT FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
A VERY STRONG UPPER HIGH REMAINS SITUATED ACROSS THE WESTERN
CONUS...WITH A 597DM HIGH CENTER PERCHED OVER CENTRAL NEVADA. H5
HEIGHTS AROUND 594DM WERE IN PLACE OVER THE CENTRAL AZ DESERTS PER
THE LATEST PLOT DATA AND WITH MOISTURE STILL SOMEWHAT LIMITED...THE
HIGHS YESTERDAY EXCEEDED 110 OVER MOST OF THE LOWER DESERT INCLUDING
A HIGH OF 112 AT PHOENIX. NORTH TO SOUTH ORIENTATION OF THE RIDGE
AXIS ALLOWED FOR A MORE NORTH-NORTHEAST STEERING FLOW ACROSS SOUTH
CENTRAL AZ...BRINGING ERN RIM STORMS MORE DOWN INTO SERN AZ...THE
TUS CWA...THAN INTO OUR CENTRAL DESERTS. AT 2 AM THERE WERE SOME
ISOLATED STORMS CONTINUING TO FIRE SOUTHEAST OF THE GREATER PHOENIX
AREA...WE EXPECT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DISSIPATE AS THE MORNING
WEARS ON. CONSIDERING THAT SKY HARBOR WAS STILL 100 DEGREES AT 130
AM...THERE IS SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY AROUND TO PERMIT SUCH EARLY
MORNING CONVECTION.
PROGS AGREE THAT THE UPPER HIGH WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY BUT STILL
REMAIN QUITE STRONG...AND WILL SLOWLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTH DURING THE
NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. OVERALL THE WEATHER PATTERN FOR OUR AREA WILL
CHANGE LITTLE WITH A CONTINUED MODERATE NORTH-NORTHEAST STEERING
FLOW INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AZ...AND MORE OF AN EASTERLY FLOW OVER THE
WESTERN DESERTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CAPE AND INSTABILITY...AND
MOISTURE...SUCH AS 850MB DEWPOINTS IN EXCESS OF 8C...WILL REMAIN
MOSTLY EAST OF PHOENIX EACH DAY. AS SUCH THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR
MOUNTAIN STORMS TODAY AND WEDNESDAY...WITH ONLY A 10-20 PERCENT
CHANCE FOR THE STORMS TO MOVE INTO THE LOWER DESERTS INCLUDING THE
GREATER PHOENIX AREA. SURFACE DEWPOINTS ACROSS THE SCNTRL DESERTS
ARE FORECAST TO STAY IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOW 50S DURING THE AFTN/EVE
HOURS EACH DAY...AND THOSE VALUES ARE TOO LOW TO PERMIT ANY SERIOUS
CONVECTION FROM MOVING IN FROM THE EAST. OF COURSE...THERE WILL BE A
THREAT FOR BLOWING DUST INTO THE LOWER CENTRAL DESERTS DURING THE
EVENING HOURS EACH DAY...ASSUMING THAT RELATIVELY STRONG STORMS
ACTUALLY FORM NOT TOO FAR OFF TO OUR EAST OR SOUTHEAST.
GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO CALL FOR THE UPPER HIGH TO WEAKEN AND SHIFT
FURTHER TO THE SOUTH...AND INTO WESTERN AZ...BY LATER IN THE
WEEK...BRINGING DRIER AIR INTO OUR WESTERN DESERTS AND WEAKENING THE
STEERING FLOW. OVER THE WEEKEND THE HIGH SHIFTS FURTHER OFF TO THE
EAST AND INTO NEW MEXICO...EVENTUALLY GIVING MORE OF A SOUTHWEST
STEERING FLOW ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WHICH IS QUITE UNFAVORABLE FOR
GETTING STORMS INTO ANY OF OUR LOWER DESERT. AS SUCH...WE WILL RUN
WITH A LOW GRADE MONSOON FORECAST THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND WITH
POPS MOSTLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE LOWER DESERT AND IN THE
20-30 PERCENT RANGE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX.
WITH H5 HEIGHTS REMAINING HIGH...MOSTLY AOA 591DM...ACROSS THE LOWER
DESERTS...AND MOISTURE REMAINING LIMITED...HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL
STAY QUITE ELEVATED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE BOUNDARY
LAYER DOES NOT COOL MUCH THROUGH THURSDAY WITH 850MB TEMPS AROUND
29-30C AND AS SUCH HIGH TEMPS WILL STAY MOSTLY ABOVE 110 DEGREES
EACH DAY...AND UPWARDS OF 115 IN THE HOTTEST WESTERN DESERT LOCALES.
WITHOUT SERIOUS CONVECTION BRINGING INCREASED HUMIDITY AND WETTING
RAINS INTO THE LOWER DESERT...THE HEAT WILL REMAIN DOMINANT AND
OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL NOT DROP OFF MUCH. GIVEN THAT OUR LOW
TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO CONTINUE IN THE MID 80S TO LOW 90S OVER
THE WARMER DESERTS THROUGH THURSDAY...AND HIGHS WILL REMAIN ABOVE
110...WE WILL HAVE TO EXTEND OUR EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING THROUGH 8 PM
ON THURSDAY. CURRENTLY WE EXPECT THE HIGH TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES
ACROSS ARIZONA LATER THIS WEEK...AND WE ARE CALLING FOR HIGHS TO
FALL DOWN TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS BY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...SO WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO LET THE WARNING EXPIRE AT 8 PM THURSDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...INCLUDING KPHX...KIWA AND KSDL...
SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA INCLUDING KIPL AND KBLH...
THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE NOW WELL OFF TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF THE
PHOENIX AREA ARE NOW EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE TERMINALS IN ANY WAY AS
THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHWARD...AND WEAKEN. SCT TO BKN MID
AND HIGH-LEVEL CIGS ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD.
MORE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...BUT CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO
INCLUDE IN THE TAFS...AT THIS TIME. SCT-BKN CIRRUS CIGS ARE EXPECTED
AT THE SE CALIFORNIA TERMINALS THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD...WITH TYPICAL
DIURNAL TRENDS IN WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED.
AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY...
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY...WITH SLOW
COOLING TO NEAR NORMAL VALUES BY SUNDAY AND MONDAY. ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP EACH AFTERNOON OVER
THE HIGHER TERRAIN TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF PHOENIX...WITH A FEW OF
THEM MOVING INTO THE LOWER DESERTS EACH EVENING. THE MAIN IMPACTS
FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS...WITH A
FEW OF THEM PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. OTHERWISE...WINDS WILL
BE MOSTLY LIGHT AND FAVOR TYPICAL DOWNSLOPE/UPVALLEY PATTERNS.
&&
.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MST THURSDAY
AZZ020>023-025>028.
CA...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT THURSDAY CAZ031>033.
&&
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX
DISCUSSION...CB
AVIATION...PERCHA
FIRE WEATHER...PERCHAHazardous weather outlook, Jul 1, 8:13 PM MST, 7 hours 37 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
813 PM MST MON JUL 1 2013
AZZ022-023-027-028-021400-
NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA-
SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-
813 PM MST MON JUL 1 2013
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST TUESDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING.
IN ADDITION...PATCHY BLOWING DUST IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ALONG
THE INTERSTATE 10 CORRIDOR SOUTH OF PHOENIX...AS WELL AS INTERSTATE 8
WEST OF CASA GRANDE.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING.
AREAS OF DENSE BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON...A
RESULT OF THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN TO THE EAST
OF PHOENIX. A THREAT FOR BLOWING DUST WILL PERSIST EACH NIGHT THROUGH
THE REST OF THE WEEK...AS IT IS LIKELY THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO FORM OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING HOURS EACH DAY.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
AZZ024-021400-
SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS-
813 PM MST MON JUL 1 2013
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN DURING THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING HOURS TUESDAY...AND THERE WILL BE A CONTINUING THREAT
FOR THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK. POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARDS
INCLUDE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...BLOWING
DUST AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
AZZ020-021-025-026-CAZ031>033-021400-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-
YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST DESERTS-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-
IMPERIAL COUNTY-
813 PM MST MON JUL 1 2013 /813 PM PDT MON JUL 1 2013/
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/
TUESDAY...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...WEST-
CENTRAL ARIZONA AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING.
EXCESSIVE HEAT IS FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS ON
TUESDAY AND AS SUCH THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING CONTINUES THROUGH
8 PM TUESDAY EVENING. DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH MONSOON MOISTURE
SPREADS INTO THE LOWER DESERT...THE WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED
EVEN FURTHER.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
CAZ030-021400-
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-
813 PM PDT MON JUL 1 2013
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT
WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX
Dust Storm, Greater Phoenix Area
- When
- July 2, 3:50 AM MST to 5:30 AM MST
- Where
- Greater Phoenix Area forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
During the early morning hours on July 2nd, isolated thunderstorms developed across northwest Pinal county and they moved westward across portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. The storms generated gusty winds in excess of 40 mph and produced patchy dense blowing dust. At 445 am, a trained weather spotter at 2214 West South Mountain Avenue in Phoenix reported a dust storm with visibility below one eighth of a mile. The dense blowing dust was not widespread enough to warrant the issuance of a Dust Storm Warning.
Thunderstorm Wind, Maricopa
- When
- July 2, 4:20 AM MST to 4:45 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, 3.69 mi E of Laveen
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 33.370, -112.106
Isolated thunderstorms developed across northwestern Pinal county during the early morning hours on July 2nd, and they moved westward and into the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. The storms generated gusty winds in excess of 50 mph. At 445 am, a trained weather spotter located at 2241 West South Mountain Avenue in Phoenix estimated wind gusts between 60 and 65 mph, with sustained speeds nearly 50 mph. The winds were associated with locally dense blowing dust. No damage was reported due to the high winds.
- Dust Storm
- Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flash Flooding in New Hampshire, July 2, 2013$10 million · 6 events
- Tornado in South Carolina, July 2, 20139 injured · $88,000 · EF1 · 1 event
- Strong Wind in American Samoa, July 2 to 3, 2013$4.0 million · 1 event
- Flash Flooding in Vermont, July 2, 2013$325,000 · 3 events
- Flash Flood and Debris Flow in California, July 2 to 3, 2013$150,000 · 1 in hail · 6 events
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 2, 2013$115,000 · EF0 · 4 events
- Hail in Iowa, July 2, 2013$82,000 · 1 in hail · 6 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, July 2, 2013$90,000 · 0.88 in hail · 3 events
- Flash Flood in New Hampshire, July 2 to 3, 2013$50,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in Nevada, July 2, 2013$50,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 event
- Lightning Strikes in Georgia, July 2, 20131 injured · $20,000 · 2 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in New Mexico, July 2, 2013$1,000 · 1.75 in hail · 16 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 461348, 461350.