A potent low pressure system moved through the Desert Southwest, generating strong winds across much of the region. Peak afternoon and early evening wind gusts upwards of 25-40 mph out of the south were observed across much of south-central AZ.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
A potent low pressure system moved through the Desert Southwest, generating strong winds across much of the region. Peak afternoon and early evening wind gusts upwards of 25-40 mph out of the south were observed across much of south-central AZ. The combination of the strong winds and the very dry soil conditions led to areas of blowing dust with some areas across southern Maricopa and Northern Pinal Counties reporting near zero visibility. Near Tonopah AZ, a fiery multi-vehicle collision pileup resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries occurred on the eastbound lanes of I-10. A shallow plume of dense blowing dust was observed on satellite imagery during the time of the accident, and although not officially confirmed, the dust is believed to have played a major role in the cause of the accident.
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 Mar 1, 10:13 AM MST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
1013 AM MST Sat Mar 1 2025
.UPDATE...
18Z Aviation Discussion.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
A couple weather systems moving through the region this weekend
and early next week will lead to cooling temperatures, with
temperatures forecasted to fall below normal for the start of the
workweek. These weather systems will also bring slight chances for
light rain or virga showers, mainly to the higher terrain to the
north and east of Phoenix, this evening and on Monday. However,
the main concern with these weather systems will be windy
conditions with wind gusts of 30- 50 mph expected across the
region, mainly during the afternoons, through early next week. The
windy and dry conditions today will lead to high to very high
fire weather conditions across south- central and southeastern
Arizona.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Water vapor imagery this morning reveals a closed low pressure
system making its way onshore in southern CA. This low pressure
system will move pretty quickly through the region with the center
of the low moving over Arizona by late this evening and moving
into NM during the overnight hours. The main weather concern with
this system will be windy conditions across the region. As the low
pressure system continues to push inland it will strengthen and
in turn tighten the pressure gradient across the region. A strong
low level jet will also push into Arizona later this morning and
afternoon. Forecast soundings show that the stronger winds
associated with this jet will start to mix down to the surface by
late this morning. Wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph are possible across
the lower deserts with higher winds in the higher terrain and
foothills to the east of Phoenix as well as in western Imperial
County. Wind Advisories have been issued for both locations with
both wind advisories in effect from late this morning through this
evening. Wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph are possible in the higher
terrain and foothills to the east of Phoenix. Wind gusts of 30 to
40 mph are possible in western Imperial County and up to 55 mph in
the far SW corner of the county. Wind speeds will start to
subside after sunset as the winds become decoupled, but mountain
rotors in western Imperial County could keep winds elevated
through the evening out there.
These winds combined with very low relative humidity values
(8-12%) and very dry fuels will lead to elevated to critical fire
weather conditions. Thus, the Red Flag Warning is still in effect
from late this morning through early this evening across south-
central and southeastern Arizona. These winds will not only lead
to elevated to critical fire weather conditions, but they will
also be capable of generating blowing dust across the region,
which can make travel hazardous. Therefore a Blowing Dust Advisory
remains in effect for late this morning through early this
evening for the dust prone areas between Phoenix and Tucson. Given
the strong winds across Imperial County, blowing dust/sand could
also develop out there.
In addition to the windy conditions, blowing dust, and increased
fire weather concerns this system will bring a slight chance for
light rain or virga showers, mainly to the higher terrain areas to
the north and east of Phoenix. Moisture will be a major limiting
factor with this system with PWATS only expected to be around 0.4-
0.5". When looking at forecast soundings they reveal that most of
this moisture will be confined to the mid levels with very dry
low levels. PoPs remain low with only 20-30% across the higher
terrain areas and generally less than 10% across the lower deserts.
Temperatures today will cool slightly out in SE CA and SW AZ with
afternoon high temperatures forecasted to be in the mid- to-upper
70s. Afternoon high temperatures are forecasted to be similar to
yesterday across south-central (low 80s) and eastern AZ (mid-to-
upper 70s) since the low pressure system will not be through those
portions of the state yet.
Tomorrow will be a transition day in between weather systems. The
closed low pressure system moving through the region today will be
moving into New Mexico by tomorrow morning with another, stronger,
low pressure system moving into northern California tomorrow
afternoon. This will once again lead to breezy to locally windy
conditions tomorrow afternoon, mainly across southeastern CA and
northern and western Arizona. Winds may gust up to 25 to 35 mph.
This low pressure system will continue to push southeastward with
the main trough pushing into the Desert Southwest Monday afternoon.
As the main trough moves through the region on Monday, breezy to
locally windy conditions are expected area wide, with the highest
winds expected in southeastern CA and the higher terrain in eastern
AZ. The NBM continues to show low-end PoPs for Monday, mainly over
the higher terrain areas. But due to limited moisture, current
thinking is that there will only be virga showers and maybe some
very light isolated showers over the higher terrain to the north and
east of Phoenix. With this stronger trough moving into the region,
confidence is high that cooler temperatures will be moving into the
region, with highs only forecasted in the mid-to upper 60s for
Monday afternoon across the lower deserts.
The trough will exit the region on Tuesday with ridging building
back in for the middle of next week. The ridging will lead to
increasing temperatures. Slight warming is expected on Tuesday with
temperatures only forecasted to rise to the upper 60s to low-to-mid
70s across the lower deserts. But by Wednesday temperatures are
forecasted to return to near normal (the mid-to-upper 70s for the
lower deserts). With ridging building in that will cut off any rain
chances for our region. However, ensembles are hinting that another
weather system could move into the region by late next week. There
is still a lot of uncertainty with the exact track and strength of
this system, but models are currently showing more moisture moving
in with the system, so rain chances might be better, however a lot
can still change. Either way this weather system would cool
temperatures off back below normal to end the work week.
&&
.AVIATION...Updated at 1710Z.
South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT:
The main aviation concerns through this evening will be a strong
southerly crosswind and potential for BLDU at KPHX and KIWA. Winds
will continue to ramp up at all terminals by early this afternoon
and veer out of the S-SW, with gusts reaching 25-30 kts at times
through the afternoon into early this evening. In addition to the
gusty winds, reductions in surface and slantwise visibility due to
BLDU will become prevalent. Winds will gradually diminish after
sunset while persisting out of the S-SW for several hrs before
returning back to the ESE. There is a low chance (<20%) of isold
SHRA developing across the Phoenix Metro, however confidence is
currently too low for inclusion in the TAF at this time. With
surface to mid atmosphere being dry chances are mostly Virga will
take place. SCT-BKN mid-lvl clouds with bases between 10-15 kft
arrive later this evening, then lifting to 15-25kft by tomorrow
afternoon.
Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:
Gusty westerly winds at KIPL will be the main aviation weather
concern through the forecast period. Winds will remain elevated
out of the west at KIPL with gusts reaching 20-25 kts at times. By
late this afternoon, there will likely be a period of stronger
winds, mainly from 23Z-02Z, where gusts could reach as high as
30-40 kts. During this timeframe, KIPL could see lowered vsbys due
to BLDU. Significantly lighter winds can be expected at KBLH with
a predominant easterly direction this morning followed by a
southerly direction this evening. FEW-SCT mid to high level clouds
will be common at both terminals through the period.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
The main impact is Red Flag conditions across south-central and
southeastern AZ this afternoon. A weather system moving through
the region today will bring windy conditions to the region with
gusts of 30 to 35 mph possible across the lower deserts of south-
central AZ and gusts of 40 to 45 mph across the foothills and
higher terrain in eastern AZ. These gusty winds in combination
with very low minRH (8-12%) and very dry fuels will lead to
elevated to critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning
is in effect for these areas from 11am to 6pm MST today. Wind
gusts of 30 to 40 mph are also expected across western Imperial
County with gusts up to 50 to 55 mph in the far SW corner of the
county. Temperatures will be near to slightly above normal today, with
highs in the lower 80s expected across south-central AZ and in the
upper 70s across SE CA and SW AZ. Another weather system moving
through late Sunday through Monday will lead to breezy to locally
windy conditions on Sunday (southeastern CA) and Monday (area
wide). MinRHs will rise to 20-30% on Sunday and Monday with good
overnight recoveries, which could help limit the fire weather
concerns. This weather system will also allow for temperatures to
fall below normal for the start of the workweek, with highs in the
upper 60s to low 70s across the lower deserts. These weather
systems will also bring a slight chance for light rain or virga
showers, mainly to the higher terrain areas to the north and east
of Phoenix this evening and Monday afternoon.
&&
.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...Blowing Dust Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening for AZZ550-551-
553-554-559.
Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for AZZ132-133.
Wind Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for AZZ556>558-
560>563.
CA...Wind Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for CAZ566-567.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM PST Monday for CAZ562.
&&
DISCUSSION...Berislavich
AVIATION...Ryan/Salerno
FIRE WEATHER...BerislavichThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Near zero visibility due to dense blowing dust from strong winds resulted in a minor auto accident near Arizona City. No injuries were reported.
A fiery multi-vehicle collision pileup occurred on the eastbound lanes of I-10 near Tonopah, AZ. A shallow plume of dense blowing dust was observed on satellite imagery during the time of the accident, and although not officially confirmed, the dust is believed to have played a major role in the cause of the accident. Based on several news articles, twelve vehicles in total, including multiple semi-trucks, passengers vehicles, a van, and a recreational vehicle were involved in the accident. Four confirmed fatalities and eight injuries resulted from the collision pileup.
Video showed near zero visibility along State Route 347 near Riggs Road due to dense blowing dust from strong winds. No accidents nor injuries were reported.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dust Storm, Tonopah Desert | 2025-03-01 | 41 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Dust Storm, Tonopah Desert | 2025-03-01 | 41 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Dust Storm, Tonopah Desert | 2025-03-01 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect | |
| Dust Storm, Tonopah Desert | 2025-03-01 | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, March 2025
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: 1247897, 1247889, 1247893.