Arizona, 2021Dust Storm in Arizona, March 3, 2021
March 3, 2021 · NWS TWC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Strong winds created areas of blowing dust that reduced visibility to less than a quarter mile and resulted in a multi-vehicle accident and closure of Interstate 10 in Pinal County. Several injuries to motorists occurred.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 13
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Strong winds created areas of blowing dust that reduced visibility to less than a quarter mile and resulted in a multi-vehicle accident and closure of Interstate 10 in Pinal County. Several injuries to motorists occurred.
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 3, 3:15 AM MST, 11 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 3:15 AM MST, 11 hours before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
315 AM MST Wed Mar 3 2021
.SYNOPSIS...Warmer daytime temperatures continue into today before
another storm system brings a chance of showers, mainly north of
Tucson, this evening into Thursday morning. Thereafter, dry and
warmer Friday into this weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...A weather system spinning off the southern California
coast early this morning will track inland today and crossover
northwest Arizona tonight. As this system moves inland, strong and
gusty winds will develop across the area. Because of the dry
conditions and the high fire danger rating along with these strong
winds, a Red Flag Warning will be in effect from 11AM to 6PM today
for mainly the lower deserts. Refer to the Fire Weather section in
this product for more details. Otherwise, the latest track of the
system will keep the bulk of the precipitation chances north of the
area. This system will usher in some cooler air for Thursday, but
high pressure aloft in the wake of the system will result in a rapid
warm up Friday into the weekend. Cooler daytime temperatures will
return early to mid next week as ensembles showed a couple of
systems passing through the region.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 04/12Z. Generally SKC thru 03/15Z, then
skies becoming SCT-BKN 10k-15k MSL into this afternoon and lowering
to 5-8k ft MSL after 04/06Z. SFC winds remain below 10 kts thru
03/15Z, then increase out of the S/SW 15-20 kts with gusts 30-40 kts
before diminishing to less than 10 kts after 04/04Z. Aviation
discussion not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...A weather system will result in gusty south to
southwest winds late this morning through afternoon, with the
strongest winds from Tucson westward. Speeds will range from 15-25
mph with gusts up to 40 mph. These strong winds combined with low
relative humidities will result in critical fire weather conditions.
We've gone ahead and expanded the Red Flag Warning previously issued
for fire weather zone 150 to now include southern sections of fire
weather zone 151. As this system passes through, there will be a
slight chance of showers tonight into early Thursday for areas north
of Tucson with cooler temperatures Thursday. Dry conditions and
warmer temperatures return by Friday and continue through Monday.
Daytime high temperatures over the upcoming weekend will be 7-12
degrees above normal. Some increased breezes are expected Monday and
Tuesday afternoon with a return to more seasonable temperatures on
Tuesday.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 6 PM MST today for AZZ150.
&&
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Dust Storm, South Central Pinal County
- When
- March 3, 2:15 PM MST to 3:45 PM MST
- Where
- South Central Pinal County forecast zone
- Injuries
- 0 direct, 13 indirect
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong south winds created areas of blowing dust in south central Pinal County. Visibility was reduced to less than a quarter mile along Interstate 10 near Picacho and resulted in a multi-vehicle accident and a closure of the east bound lanes of the interstate for 60-90 minutes. Thirteen motorists were injured. Five people were taken to the hospital but none of the injuries were life threatening.
- 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.
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- Flooding and Hail in California, March 3 to 4, 2021$10,000 · 85 kt wind · 6 events
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 3, 2021$1,000 · 1 event
- Waterspout in Gulf of Mexico, March 3, 20211 event
- High Wind in California, March 3, 202152 kt wind · 1 event
- Strong Wind in Arizona, March 3, 2021$1,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in Arizona, March 3, 2021$5,000 · 51 kt wind · 1 event
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: 948914.