A family looks on as a dust storm converges on downtown Phoenix. (Mark J. Rebilas / U.S. Presswire / July 5, 2011)
A massive dust storm has swept into the Phoenix area and drastically reduced visibility across the valley.
The wall of dust moved across the desert from the south on Tuesday and descended on the valley by nightfall. KSAZ-TV reported the storm appeared to be roughly 50 miles wide.
Photos: Phoenix dust storm
The National Weather Service says strong winds with gusts of more than 60 mph (100 kph) were moving northwest through Phoenix and the cities of Avondale, Tempe and Scottsdale. More than a dozen communities in the area also were under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on its website that because of low visibility in the area, no Phoenix-bound flights were allowed to leave Las Vegas or Los Angeles airports until 9 p.m.
Images from the area show a mountain-sized cloud of gray dust overtaking swaths of residential and business neighborhoods.
According to a hazardous weather advisory in effect for the area, strong winds are likely to continue in coming days, although the chance of thunderstorms was expected to diminish.
The Arizona Republic reported that National Weather Service officials advised drivers caught in the storm to pull off the road in order to avoid collisions. Leslie Wanek, a meteorogist with the Weather Service, told the newspaper that drivers should park cars and turn off their engines during a dust storm.
National Weather Service guidelines also call for drivers to turn off lights after pulling as far off the roadway as possible. In addition, motorists are advised to "set the emergency brake, take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated."
Officials said the guidelines are meant to avoid pile ups that have occurred in the past when motorists who were still driving tried to follow tail lights only to collide with already stopped vehicles.
Times staff writer Megan Garvey contributed to this report from Los Angeles
The wall of dust moved across the desert from the south on Tuesday and descended on the valley by nightfall. KSAZ-TV reported the storm appeared to be roughly 50 miles wide.
Photos: Phoenix dust storm
Video: Massive dust storm in Phoenix
Arizona conservatives scramble after campaign finance law's defeat
AntiSec 'hackers without borders' claim new hack on Arizona state police
McCain blames Arizona wildfires on illegal immigrants
Thousands of Arizona wildfire evacuees return home despite smoke and soot
The National Weather Service says strong winds with gusts of more than 60 mph (100 kph) were moving northwest through Phoenix and the cities of Avondale, Tempe and Scottsdale. More than a dozen communities in the area also were under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on its website that because of low visibility in the area, no Phoenix-bound flights were allowed to leave Las Vegas or Los Angeles airports until 9 p.m.
Images from the area show a mountain-sized cloud of gray dust overtaking swaths of residential and business neighborhoods.
According to a hazardous weather advisory in effect for the area, strong winds are likely to continue in coming days, although the chance of thunderstorms was expected to diminish.
The Arizona Republic reported that National Weather Service officials advised drivers caught in the storm to pull off the road in order to avoid collisions. Leslie Wanek, a meteorogist with the Weather Service, told the newspaper that drivers should park cars and turn off their engines during a dust storm.
National Weather Service guidelines also call for drivers to turn off lights after pulling as far off the roadway as possible. In addition, motorists are advised to "set the emergency brake, take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated."
Officials said the guidelines are meant to avoid pile ups that have occurred in the past when motorists who were still driving tried to follow tail lights only to collide with already stopped vehicles.
Times staff writer Megan Garvey contributed to this report from Los Angeles
0 comments:
Post a Comment