NWS Phoenix AZDS.W 0021September 16, 2026
Dust Storm Warning: La Paz, Yuma and Imperial, AZ and CA
The National Weather Service office in Phoenix issued a dust storm warning for La Paz, Yuma and Imperial in Arizona, California, which was in force until 6:45 p.m. local time on September 16. It was the 21st dust storm warning the NWS office in Phoenix issued in 2026. Arizona had 1 dust storm warning in September 2026, against 4 in an average September of 2008-2025 (Arizona's dust storm warnings by year).
ExpiredWarning
In force for 58 minutes; it has expired. The agency may have replaced it with a new notice.
The notice
- Issued by
- National Weather Service, Phoenix AZ
- Area
- La Paz, Yuma and Imperial
- State
- Arizona
- Level
- Warning
- Issued
- 5:47 p.m. PDT, September 16, 2026
- Expires
- 6:45 p.m. PDT, September 16, 2026
- CAP severity, certainty, urgency
- Severe, Likely, Expected
- VTEC event
- KPSR DS.W 0021
- Official source
- National Weather Service: the notice at its source
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. AreaZine rebuilds this page from the agency's record; the agency's page is the one to act on. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.
The notice as issued
The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a * Dust Storm Warning for... Southwestern La Paz County in west central Arizona... West central Yuma County in southwestern Arizona... Southeastern Imperial County in southeastern California... * Until 645 PM MST/645 PM PDT/. * At 547 PM MST/547 PM PDT/, a wall of dust was along a line extending from near Martinez Lake to 6 miles northeast of Kinter to near Wellton, moving west at 35 mph. HAZARD...Less than a quarter mile visibility with strong wind in excess of 50 mph. SOURCE...Doppler radar. IMPACT...Dangerous life-threatening travel. * This includes the following highways... AZ Interstate 8 between mile markers 1 and 23. CA Interstate 8 between mile markers 80 and 96. AZ Route 95 between mile markers 29 and 55. Locations impacted include... Yuma, Martinez Lake, Fortuna Foothills, Blaisdell, Algodones Dunes, Kinter, Andrade, Ligurta, Winterhaven, and Araby.
What the agency told people to do
Dust storms lead to dangerous driving conditions with visibility reduced to near zero. If driving, avoid dust storms if possible. If caught in one, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. The text is the agency's, unedited. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.