The New Era of Understanding Arizona’s Dust Storms
Arizona’s monsoon season is notorious for its dramatic dust storms, which have long mystified residents and meteorologists alike. Now, these formidable natural occurrences are on the brink of being more comprehensible thanks to a groundbreaking classification system.
A dedicated group of 22 meteorologists and weather specialists has been working tirelessly to create the first standardized dust storm scale. This new tool aims to categorize dust storms similarly to how the Enhanced Fujita scale classifies tornadoes, with the ultimate goal of enhancing public safety.
Reporters and student meteorologists Erica Hoyt and Kayla McDonald from Cronkite News have been closely monitoring the development of what is now known as the Phoenix Dust Scale. During the 2025 monsoon season, they observed its initial deployment and documented the process.
For further insights into how the scale operates, its inaugural application, and the dedicated individuals and advanced tools involved in its creation, explore more here.
This information was originally published on Cronkite News and is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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