Wind dies down but dust to hang around metro Phoenix for while

PHOENIX — The dust left behind by wind that blasted across metro Phoenix was being felt Tuesday by anyone with allergies or asthma.

The area was blanketed in a haze a day after winds reached nearly 50 mph in some parts.

Marvin Percha with the National Weather Service said it would be hours after sunrise before the dust settled.

“It’s harder to breathe out there, that’s for sure. Dust has been lofted in the bottom few thousand feet of the atmosphere,” he said.

A cruddy air quality day, but it hasn't stopped the hot air balloons from launching over Cave Creek & Deer Valley Rd pic.twitter.com/nt9hmbm3qD

— Detour Dan (@DetourDanKTAR) April 26, 2016

Wind advisories were in place Monday but that still didn’t prepare drivers for the hazardous conditions.

(Twitter Photo/@dps_pio_mehr)

Blowing dust continuing to be an issue on I-10 from Phoenix Casa Grande to Tucson. #PullAsideStayAlive pic.twitter.com/M2HiBybXsS

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) April 25, 2016

Here is a view of Camelback Mtn from a webcam. You can barely see it because of dust! Be careful when driving! #azwx pic.twitter.com/a1bcjHdm6E

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) April 25, 2016

National Weather Service meteorologists said a series of low-pressure systems moved over the state, bringing wind gusts of up to 40 mph by Monday afternoon.

Dust blew so hard near the Arizona-New Mexico border that a 62-mile stretch of Interstate 10 was shut down in both directions.

Officials with the Arizona Department of Transportation said a crash involving two semitrailers about 15 miles from the New Mexico border also closed part of I-10 near San Simon, Arizona.

Percha said winds would be lighter Tuesday.

The Valley hasn’t received significant rainfall since January, which left conditions perfect for the wind gusts to lift dust into the air.

KTAR’s Jim Cross and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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