First monsoon season (Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa: home, live, moving)

[farmgirlsuz]

As a new transplant to the valley I see all the news people getting all excited about the upcoming monsoon season. I get it, a different weather system than "sunny, hot and dry" but I am curious about the instructions they give about the dust storms. They said to pull over and turn off you car lights and take you foot off the brakes. Aren't you setting yourself up to get hit if other motorists don't see you?

Like I said, this is my first monsoon season so any insights anyone can share about what to expect and how to survive (!?!?) Please share!

Tornados, winds, flooding and hail back home so I am sort of missing the weather excitement!

[Bungle]

Conditions on highways can get bad enough that you can't see very far in front of you. Obviously this is a time to pull over completely off of the roadway. You want to keep your foot off the brake because a car behind you could think you're still on the roadway and try to follow you. Once they realize you're stationary it could be too late and you're rear ended.

[AZBradley]

Pull off the road as far as you can. Turn off lights & take foot of brakes(lights).
Lights off idea is so people don't think you are in the lane of traffic trying to follow you.

[farmgirlsuz]

I suppose, but typically if I see brake lights, I hit my brakes too. I realize at highway speeds and given the way people here tend to tailgate it makes sense.
Are these dust storms frequent? How long do they last? How many occur in during a typical monsoon season?

[urbex]

Originally Posted by farmgirlsuz

I suppose, but typically if I see brake lights, I hit my brakes too. I realize at highway speeds and given the way people here tend to tailgate it makes sense.
Are these dust storms frequent? How long do they last? How many occur in during a typical monsoon season?

Except that, in the reduced visibility conditions of a dust storm, it's not always readily apparent that they're brake lights as opposed to tail lights.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by farmgirlsuz

I suppose, but typically if I see brake lights, I hit my brakes too. I realize at highway speeds and given the way people here tend to tailgate it makes sense.
Are these dust storms frequent? How long do they last? How many occur in during a typical monsoon season?

How bad and how often depend on where you live. The storms are more frequent and more severe in the SE part of the metro - especially in the Casa Grande area along I10. I8 southwest of Phoenix heading to San Diego gets bad ones too. There are at least a half dozen really bad ones a year, I'd say, and maybe another dozen lesser ones. The worst of them will be when the monsoon first kicks up because the soils are dry and the high base thunderstorms have stronger outflow winds.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by farmgirlsuz

I suppose, but typically if I see brake lights, I hit my brakes too. I realize at highway speeds and given the way people here tend to tailgate it makes sense.
Are these dust storms frequent? How long do they last? How many occur in during a typical monsoon season?

They tend not to last long, a matter of minutes, and if you are on the urban freeways, they are not quite as intense as if you are out on 1-10 between here and Tucson or I-8 headed for Yuma. A lot of the time, you can just avoid being on the road when they pass through. If you are not in the southeast Valley, you may not be affected by one at all. They are certainly less common in other parts of the Valley.

[farmgirlsuz]

I suppose similar to a "white out" during the blizzards up north (not the ones from DQ).

I am guessing Mesa will be the east side to which you refer. Oh well, something new to look forward to! Life is a journey!

[observer53]

Originally Posted by farmgirlsuz

I suppose similar to a "white out" during the blizzards up north (not the ones from DQ).

I am guessing Mesa will be the east side to which you refer. Oh well, something new to look forward to! Life is a journey!

Not just Mesa. Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, SE Phoenix, all see the storms that come up from the east or southeast. I suspect the blizzard whiteouts last longer. Those aren't moving at the speed the storms here are... the dust comes in, hopefully followed by rain, but not always, sometimes just wind and lightning/thunder.

[sh9730]

OP - you may actually experience your first one today!