Thunderstorm warning issued for La Paz County, winds up to 40 mph
A 40 mph thunderstorm was tracking east of Salome toward I-10, with the warning in force until 6:30 p.m. and blowing dust also possible.
Drivers on Interstate 10 between mile markers 57 and 76 faced the biggest immediate threat as a strong thunderstorm tracked across southeastern La Paz County with wind gusts up to 40 mph. The National Weather Service Phoenix kept a special weather statement in effect until 6:30 p.m. MST, warning that the storm could stay over mainly rural parts of east central La Paz and Maricopa counties.
At 5:59 p.m. MST, Doppler radar placed the storm about 12 miles southeast of Salome and 32 miles west of Tonopah, moving east at 15 mph. The weather service said any thunderstorms in the area could bring occasional lightning, gusty winds above 35 mph and localized blowing dust, conditions that can quickly turn a clear desert drive into a visibility problem.
The broader forecast kept shower and thunderstorm chances in the picture through the rest of the weekend and into the start of the week. The National Weather Service said the best odds remained over higher terrain and portions of Southeast Arizona, but early-morning precipitation activity could also develop across La Paz, Yuma and western Maricopa counties. Fire-weather officials said isolated dry thunderstorms were the main concern over the next few afternoons, with outflow winds sometimes reaching 20 to 30 mph.
The weather pattern carried added weight in a county that has seen damaging storms before. The Phoenix weather office’s event summaries include a September 2019 episode titled Severe Storms Across Southwest Maricopa and La Paz Counties, along with the heavy rainfall and flooding tied to the remnants of Hurricane Rosa in 2018. That history, combined with June heat, underscored how quickly storms can affect travel and outdoor plans even when they are brief.
Phoenix’s normal high temperature for June 14 is 104 degrees, and Yuma’s is 103, a reminder that the storm threat was unfolding against an extreme heat backdrop. For anyone traveling through western Arizona late in the day, the immediate concern remained the stretch of I-10 near Salome and Tonopah before the warning expired at 6:30 p.m.
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