A Blowing Dust Advisory was in effect until 11 pm for most of the viewing area outside the higher elevations as storms were expected to kick up dust and cut visibility. People in those areas faced hazardous driving conditions while a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remained active through 10 pm.
The watch covered Pima, Pinal, Graham, Greenlee, Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties. Winds could exceed 70 mph tonight, and Dust Storm Warnings were likely as stronger storms pushed through the area.
Pinal County and the watch area
An Air Quality Alert in Pinal County stayed in place today because dust in the air was creating high pollution. That alert sat alongside the broader storm threat, with flash flooding possible throughout most of Southern Arizona tonight.
The weather setup forced the region to deal with two problems at once: dry dust-related hazards and heavy-rain flash flooding risk. Rainfall rates in Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties could reach around 1 to 2 inches an hour, raising the chance that fast-moving storms would create dangerous roads and sudden runoff at the same time.
Southern Arizona forecast
Tonight's forecast called for a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and a low around 78. Sunday carried a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 102, then the chance rose to 70 percent Monday with a high near 99.
Storm chances were expected to ease slightly later in the week, with 40 percent chances Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then 60 percent Friday and 40 percent Saturday. Highs were forecast near 98 Tuesday, 99 Wednesday, 97 Thursday, 93 Friday and 92 Saturday.
For readers in the affected counties, the immediate takeaway was simple: the dust advisory was time-limited, but the weather threat around it was not. The worst conditions were expected where storms met exposed roads and lower visibility, especially before the advisory expired at 11 pm.
