Monsoon

ADOT’s dust detection and warning system ready for fifth monsoon

ADOT’s dust detection and warning system ready for fifth monsoon

ADOT’s dust detection and warning system ready for fifth monsoon

June 11, 2024

Innovative safety corridor helps drivers reduce speed during dust storms

PHOENIX – Picacho Peak stands out as the signature landmark along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Next to the freeway, a transportation landmark entering its fifth monsoon season stands ready to activate when blowing dust dangerously reduces visibility.

During Monsoon Awareness Week, the Arizona Department of Transportation is reminding drivers how this first-of-its-system works to enhance safety with signs that can lower the legal speed limit and message boards that post urgent updates. It stretches along 10 miles of I-10 between Eloy and Picacho, an area with a history of blowing dust and storm-related crashes.

The system has operated as designed since the start of the 2020 monsoon season and has activated during an estimated 50 blowing dust events. It’s achieving positive results too: Roadway sensors show motorists are slowing down in the dust detection zone when the system automatically reduces speed limits.

Thirteen visibility sensors mounted on posts along the freeway use light beams to determine the density of dust particles in the air. Once visibility drops to certain levels, the system activates overhead message boards and the variable speed limit signs.

As drivers approach the area, they are greeted by signs saying “Caution: Variable Speed Limit Corridor.” Then a series of programmable speed limit signs every 1,000 feet can change the legal speed limit from 75 mph to as low as 35 mph. More electronic signs are posted in the corridor to remind drivers of the temporary speed limit.

Drivers will also see overhead electronic message boards in and near the corridor that alert them to blowing dust and warn them to slow down. Speed feedback signs will inform drivers of their real-time speeds. An important reminder: The variable speed limits are enforceable, meaning drivers can get cited for exceeding the temporarily reduced speed limit.

This technology cannot replace common sense when it comes to driving in dust storms. While drivers will get almost instant warnings about hazardous driving conditions within the 10-mile corridor, the safest decision drivers can make is to delay travel if a severe storm is on the move. If caught in a dust storm, drivers should take the next exit if possible. When no exits are nearby, drivers should pull off the roadway, turn off lights and take their foot off the brake.

For additional information on dust storms and safety, please visit PullAsideStayAlive.org.

Be prepared to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’ during monsoon season

Be prepared to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’ during monsoon season

Be prepared to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’ during monsoon season

June 10, 2024

ADOT marks Monsoon Awareness Week

PHOENIX – A wall of dust that towers on the horizon. A heavy downpour of localized rain. These weather occurrences that happen during the monsoon season can rapidly reduce visibility and create unsafe driving conditions.

With the monsoon season rapidly approaching – officially, it runs June 15-Sept. 30 – ADOT is reminding motorists during Monsoon Awareness Week (June 9-15) how to stay safe and be prepared for the extreme weather that monsoon season brings.

Let’s start with dust storms. The best thing to do if you see a dust storm? Don’t drive into it. But what if you encounter low-visibility blowing dust or a dust channel and aren’t able to exit the highway? Act quickly and follow the “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” tips:

Check traffic around you and begin slowing down.
Pull off as far right as you can and exit the highway before visibility becomes poor.
Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
Turn off all vehicle lights, including emergency flashers. You do not want vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide and possibly crash into your vehicle.
Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt buckled and wait for the storm to pass.

Although Arizona is known for its heat and desert climate, the monsoon can produce sudden, heavy rainfall. Make sure you regularly check your windshield wipers and replace them if needed – our dry climate can destroy rubber wiper blades. If you’re caught in rainy conditions, remember to:

Turn on your headlights.
Reduce your speed and maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
Avoid sudden braking, which can cause you to slide on the wet pavement.
Avoid areas where water is pooling in travel lanes.

And because summer is road-trip season, ADOT recommends motorists prepare for unplanned delays by packing a summer emergency travel kit that includes plenty of extra water, snacks, sun protection (hat, umbrella, sunscreen, etc.), flashlight, extra batteries and a fully charged cell phone.

Drivers and passengers can get real-time travel conditions and access to highway cameras at ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by downloading the AZ511 app.

Monsoon’s arrival a reminder to Pull Aside, Stay Alive

Monsoon’s arrival a reminder to Pull Aside, Stay Alive

Monsoon’s arrival a reminder to Pull Aside, Stay Alive

June 15, 2023

ADOT urges drivers to be ready for dust storms, rain as monsoon season begins

PHOENIX – It can seemingly happen in an instant: A wall of dust blows across a highway and blinds drivers. Heavy rain then covers the roadway in water. It’s nearly impossible to drive – and surely unsafe.

In a panic, overwhelmed drivers may be unpared to safely navigate the powerful forces of a monsoon storm.

The solution is simple: Pull Aside, Stay Alive.

With Thursday, June 15, marking the official start of the monsoon season, the Arizona Department of Transportation has simple tips to help drivers stay safe when summer storms pack dust and heavy rain.

The surest defense when dust storms are brewing is to not drive into one. Yet because storms can form and move quickly, motorists need to know how to act quickly if they find themselves in the thick of a blinding dust. ADOT’s Pull Aside, Stay Alive safety campaign offers these additional tips:

If in a dust storm, check for traffic around your vehicle and begin slowing down.
Pull off the roadway as soon as possible – completely, if you can – without waiting for visibility to worsen.
Turn off your engine.
Turn off all vehicle lights. Vehicles approaching from behind could use your headlights as a guide and potentially crash into you.
Take your foot off the brake and set the emergency brake.
Stay in your vehicle and remain buckled up until the storm passes.

Those who travel Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson should also be aware of ADOT’s dust detection and warning system. Active along a 10-mile corridor between Eloy and Picacho Peak, this automated system can lower the speed limit from the normal 75 mph to as low as 35 mph depending on visibility. The reduced speed limits are enforceable.

The clearly marked corridor includes overhead message boards that feature safety warnings when the system is activated. While the system was designed to help drivers move through the area more safely during dust storms, it does not replace common sense. As is the case anywhere in Arizona where dust storms pop up, drivers should be prepared to pull over even with the additional safety features in the area.

ADOT routinely services the equipment in the corridor for reliability, just as the agency works year-round to maintain more than 55 pump stations along Phoenix-area freeways. Those stations can include up to four pumps driven by powerful engines capable of lifting more than 12,000 gallons of stormwater per minute.

Still, localized storms that drop more than 2 inches of rain per hour can tax any drainage system, and ADOT focuses on having technicians ready to respond if issues occur with any pump stations. If freeway flooding does occur in a low-lying area, avoid driving into the water and wait for emergency responders to provide assistance.

Motorists should also be prepared to slow down any time rain has fallen on freeways or local roadways. Allow extra room between vehicles to provide a safe stopping distance.

More information on dust storm safety is available at PullAsideStayAlive.org, and safety tips for driving in rain storms are posted at azdot.gov/monsoon.

Being prepared will help keep you safe this monsoon season

Being prepared will help keep you safe this monsoon season

Being prepared will help keep you safe this monsoon season

By Jennifer Toth / ADOT Director

June 13, 2023

Dust Storm near Tucker Flat Wash on Interstate 40

You probably have seen the images of large dust storms blanketing communities with walls of dust during a summer monsoon storm. Visibility on our roadways can turn to almost nothing and be dangerous to drive through during one of these dust storms. That’s why I want to remind everyone to be prepared this monsoon season and keep safety in mind.

Arizona’s summer monsoon season starts on June 15 and lasts through Sept. 30. But, monsoon storms can happen outside of those dates. We can anticipate storms that bring lightning, rain, flooding and walls of dust.

Monsoon Awareness Week is June 11-17 this year. It provides the Arizona Department of Transportation the opportunity to remind drivers of the dangers associated with our monsoon storms, especially dust storms. Our “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” safety campaign provides drivers with the tools to stay safe, if you are ever near or caught in a dust storm. Remember to:

Check traffic all around you and begin to slow down
Pull off to the side of the road or exit if you can
Turn off your lights including emergency flashers
Set the emergency brake and leave your foot off the brake
Stay in your vehicle and buckle up
Wait for the storm to pass

There is a particular stretch of Interstate 10 in southern Arizona that is prone to dust storms. Becoming operational in 2020, the first-in-the-nation dust detection and warning system is located on a 10-mile stretch on Interstate 10 near Eloy, between mileposts 209 and 219. The dust-detection technology employed includes overhead message boards, variable speed limit signs, closed-circuit cameras, short-range detectors for blowing dust and a weather radar that sits on a 22-foot tower. The dust detection system has helped detect and warn drivers of blowing dust.

I would encourage you to add the AZ511 app to your phone for up-to-the-minute road alerts. If inclement weather causes delays or a road closure, you’ll receive updates from AZ 511.

Being prepared will help keep you and your family safe this monsoon season. It’s an important reminder for everyone to keep safety in mind at all times.

Director Jennifer Toth has led ADOT since January 2023.

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Monsoon season and burn scars: Be prepared, expect the unexpected

Monsoon season and burn scars: Be prepared, expect the unexpected

Monsoon season and burn scars: Be prepared, expect the unexpected

By Luis Carlos Lopez / ADOT Communications

June 16, 2022

The devastation wildfires leave in their wake, the barren land and ashes, are commonly known as burn scars.

Earlier this year, the Tunnel Fire burned nearly 20,000 acres about 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff. As the flames scorched through the Coconino National Forest, ADOT was forced to close US Route 89 in both directions for a few days. The closures were not only a nuisance for motorists, they served as a reminder that extreme weather is sudden and unforgiving.

While the Tunnel Fire has wrapped up, a burn scar has been left in its wake. Areas with burn scars are more prone to flooding and flash flooding. The threat is greater when rain from monsoons arrive. Motorists should be aware this Tunnel Fire burn scar and others are scattered throughout Arizona due to wildfires in recent years. If there is a heavy monsoon rain, the potential for flooding in and around a burn scar poses a real threat.

Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, another fire has ravaged the same area near US 89 north of Flagstaff, forcing the highway's closure yet again. Because such things are becoming more and more common, it's important all drivers are prepared when they travel during monsoon season and expect the unexpected.

If you happen upon a road closure sign, don’t go around it! It’s there for your safety, and the safety of all Arizona motorists. Roads may be closed unexpectedly due to flooding but sometimes you may come across a road with water flowing over it. Just like you wouldn't drive around a road closure sign, don't drive on a flooded roadway. Water can be very powerful and it's hard to tell how deep water the water is on a road. Please turn around, don't drown.

If you need to turn around, check out AZ511.gov for an alternate route to your destination.

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The monsoon is coming, and drivers need to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’

The monsoon is coming, and drivers need to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’

The monsoon is coming, and drivers need to ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive’

June 13, 2022

PHOENIX - A menacing wall of dust appears in the distance, suddenly blocking the sun as visibility drops to almost nothing.

Blasts of wind scatter tree branches that block traffic lanes and dust gives way to torrents of rain that flood roadways.

Drivers who don’t know how to respond can be shaken, stranded or even injured. That’s why the Arizona Department of Transportation is kicking off Monsoon Awareness Week (June 13-17) by sharing important safety information so motorists are prepared for dust storms and severe weather.

The agency’s most important advice is the simplest: “Pull Aside, Stay Alive.”

To help drivers minimize hazardous situations or injuries, motorists should keep in mind some practical tips to avoid the worst of the severe storm season:

Avoid driving into or through a dust storm.
If you encounter a dust storm, immediately check traffic around your vehicle and begin slowing down.
Don’t wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to pull off the road - pull aside as soon as possible and exit the highway if you can.
Don’t stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers. You don’t want other vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide, possibly crashing into your parked vehicle.
Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
Stay in the vehicle with your seat belts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.
Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially aware of changing weather conditions and travel at reduced speeds.

ADOT’s efforts to promote safety include an innovative, first-of-its-kind dust detection system along a 10-mile section of Interstate 10 between Eloy and Picacho Peak. Motorists traveling in this area will see electronic variable speed limit signs, overhead message boards and weather radar that work together to warn drivers of reduced visibility or approaching storms.

If blowing dust reduces visibility to levels that affect safe travel, the system automatically reduces speed limits from 75 mph to as low as 35 mph. Also, overhead message boards will warn drivers of reduced visibility and the need to slow down for safety.

The system first went into use in 2020 and successfully activated itself during dust events. Data from sensors in the roadway show drivers slow down when variable speed limit signs drop the posted speed limit, thereby helping drivers move through the area more safely.

To alert drivers of approaching storms, ADOT employs an array of tools, including posting messages to overhead highway signs, the 511-travel information line and social media, including Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) for up-to-the-minute conditions. During dust storms, ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center staff is in constant communication with crews and law enforcement officers in the field, as well as partner agencies, to keep current information flowing to motorists.

More information on dust storm safety can be found at PullAsideStayAlive.com.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Travel Information Center at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed @ArizonaDOT.

Staying prepared during Arizona’s summer monsoon season

Staying prepared during Arizona’s summer monsoon season

Staying prepared during Arizona’s summer monsoon season

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

June 10, 2022

If you have lived in Arizona as long as I have, you know our summers are hot. We look forward to receiving any amount of heavy rain that brings any relief to the heat and much needed water to our parched deserts.

Summer also means our monsoon season has arrived. According to the National Weather Service, Arizona’s summer monsoon season starts mid-June and lasts through the end of September. We can anticipate storms that bring lightning, rain and walls of dust. Driving through a dust storm can be dangerous and ill-advised, no matter where you are.

Monsoon Awareness Week is June 12-18 this year. It provides the Arizona Department of Transportation the opportunity to remind drivers of the dangers associated with our monsoon storms, especially dust storms. Our “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” safety campaign provides drivers with the tools to stay safe, if you are ever near or caught in a dust storm. Remember to:

Check traffic all around you and begin to slow down
Pull off to the side of the road or exit if you can
Turn off your lights including emergency flashers
Set the emergency brake and leave your foot off the brake
Stay in your vehicle and buckle up
Wait for the storm to pass

There is a particular stretch of Interstate 10 in southern Arizona where we have had huge dust storms and multi-vehicle crashes. Trying to predict when and where these dust storms will occur has been a challenge for ADOT and our partners, the National Weather Service and the Department of Public Safety.

Becoming operational in 2019, the first-in-the-nation dust detection and warning system is located on a 10-mile stretch on Interstate 10 near Eloy, between mileposts 209 and 219. The dust-detection technology employed includes overhead message boards, variable speed limit signs, closed-circuit cameras and short-range detectors for blowing dust. In addition, a long-range weather X-Band radar dish is part of the system, sitting atop a 22-foot-tall pole at the SR 87 interchange that can detect storms more than 40 miles away. So far, the dust detection system is working as designed and has helped detect and warn drivers of blowing dust.

I would encourage you to add the AZ511 app to your phone for up-to-the-minute road alerts. If inclement weather is coming, you may be advised to delay travel or seek alternate routes.

Staying prepared during our summer monsoon season ensures that everyone gets Safely Home!

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ADOT: Prepare for latest round monsoon storms, potential delays

ADOT: Prepare for latest round monsoon storms, potential delays

ADOT: Prepare for latest round monsoon storms, potential delays

August 30, 2021

PHOENIX – As the National Weather Service forecasts another round of monsoon storms in Arizona this week, drivers should use extreme caution and make plans to avoid hazardous conditions that heavy rainfall could trigger on roadways across the state.

While the National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for all of Arizona during part of Tuesday and Wednesday, forecasters expect especially heavy rainfall in southern Arizona and in the Tonto Basin. One additional area of concern where heavy rain is expected is near Globe, where runoff from the Telegraph Fire burn scar makes highways such as US 60 vulnerable to flash flooding, debris flows or sudden closures because of damage.

The forecast calls for up to 4 inches of rain in the wettest parts of Arizona, with isolated storms producing rain as early as today, Monday, Aug. 30. However, even modest rainfall could lead to flooding in areas where recent storms have saturated the ground.

ADOT maintenance crews across the state have been preparing for the latest storms by clearing debris from drainage systems and checking the more than 55 pump stations along Phoenix-area freeways. Also, crews have staged heavy equipment in areas prone to flooding for faster response times.

ADOT is in close contact with the National Weather Service to get updated forecast information and prepare to respond to areas where flooding or other other adverse conditions may affect safe driving conditions.

The Arizona Department of Transportation urges drivers to pay close attention to weather forecasts and to be ready for the severe weather associated with the monsoon season.

ADOT asks motorists to keep these tips in mind:

Don’t risk crossing a flooded wash, even if it doesn’t look deep. Even a few inches of running water poses a serious risk.
Stay alert in areas prone to falling rocks. Runoff can loosen rocks and boulders from slopes above roadways.
Don’t drive around “Road Closed” signs. You risk your life and face being cited under state law.
If traffic lights are out, treat an intersection as a four-way stop.
Inspect your windshield wipers and replace them if necessary.
Reduce your speed and maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
Avoid sudden braking, which can cause you to slide on wet pavement. To slow down, take your foot off the gas pedal and brake slowly.
Consider delaying nighttime travel during storms, as the rain can reduce visibility and make it difficult to spot rocks or other debris.
Use extra caution traveling in areas where recent burn scars leave highways more vulnerable to flooding, debris and other damage.

Other safety tips for driving in rainstorms are available at azdot.gov/monsoons.

Drivers also should remain prepared for dust storms and strong winds during summer monsoon weather. In almost no time, blowing dust can drop visibility to zero and leave drivers with little or no time to safely avoid this hazardous situation. Keep in mind these blowing dust safety tips:

If you encounter a dust storm, immediately check traffic around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
Don’t wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to pull off the roadway safely; do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.
Don’t stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers. You don’t want other vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide and crash into your vehicle.
Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
Stay in the vehicle with your seat belt buckled and wait for the storm to pass.
Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be aware of changing weather conditions and reduce speed.

More information on dust storm safety can be found at PullAsideStayAlive.org.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, or by checking ADOT’s Twitter @ArizonaDOT, or using the ADOT Alerts app.

When you see a flooded intersection, turn around!

When you see a flooded intersection, turn around!

When you see a flooded intersection, turn around!

By Laurie Merrill / ADOT Communications

August 10, 2021

It’s raining and you’re almost home.

You are about to turn onto a road near your house, when you come to a halt.

There’s storm runoff in the intersection. It looks like a shallow stream.

Should you cross?

Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

No matter how tired you are, how badly you want to relax or how hungry you are for dinner, there is no creature comfort – or work or family emergency – worth drowning over.

Nearly half of all flood-related drownings occur when motorists attempt to cross a flooded road and are instead swept downstream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's not worth risking it. It’s easy to underestimate the force and power of water. It takes just 12 inches of water to carry away your vehicle.

Unless you want to risk paying steep fines in addition to risking your life, don’t drive around a “Road Closed” sign. It’s against the law.

If you survive, you may be cited and ordered to shell out up to $2,000 to any entity that incurs expenses rescuing you. After all, you were warned.

Here are some other tips from the National Weather Service:

* Monitor a news source for vital weather related information.
* Check the AZ511 and ADOT Alerts maps for weather-related road information.
* If flooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, drainage ditches, canyons, washes etc.
* Avoid areas already flooded, especially if the water is flowing fast.
* Road beds may be washed out under flood waters.
* Do not camp or park along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions. Creeks and streams can rise very rapidly during heavy rainfall.
* Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

The bottom line: Flood waters are nothing to mess with. It's worth taking a few more minutes to switch your route and avoid driving in running water. It may take longer, but you will reach your destination safely. And maybe get there in time for dinner.

You can find other rain safety tips on the severe weather page of our website. There’s even more safety advice at azdot.gov/monsoon and PullAsideStayAlive.org.

Here are a few recent ADOT posts about monsoon safety: Get your vehicle in monsoon shape, ADOT ready to respond after wildfires and After wildfires, be wary of storm runoff.

And, finally, here's a quiz to test your monsoon knowledge: How well do you know monsoons?

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Get your vehicle in monsoon shape!

Get your vehicle in monsoon shape!

Get your vehicle in monsoon shape!

By Laurie Merrill / ADOT Communications

June 29, 2021

With all the recent fires in Arizona, it can be easy to forget that Monsoon Season 2021 is officially here.

By now most of you know ADOT's biggest tip about driver safety when you encounter a dust storm: “Pull Aside, Stay Alive.”

And you’ve probably heard the drill: If caught on the highway when a storm hits, pull completely off the road, roll up your windows, set your emergency brake and turn off your lights (so as not to get rear-ended).

But many of you may not be as familiar with some ADOT’s other monsoon safety suggestions.

For example, did you know it is important to get your car in ship-shape condition? Do you know all the steps to take? In short, is your car rainstorm ready?

If not, now is the time for action, and to help you, here is a handy list of steps to prep your vehicle:

►Check your tire pressure and tire treads. You don’t want to be caught on slippery road surfaces with poorly inflated or bare tires.

►Check your windshield wipers. Blades can quickly wear, crack or become rigid. Their average lifespan is six months to a one year. You don’t want to discover during a deluge that they aren’t up to the task. Also, top off your windshield washer fluid.

►Clean and check your vehicle's battery. Remove corrosion and ensure cables are securely attached to terminals. We live in a state where batteries tend to last about two years. You don’t want to get caught in driving rain when your battery dies.

►Now that your vehicle is ready, you need to pack supplies. Bring extra water, an emergency kit, a fully charged cellphone, hand sanitizer, wipes and a cloth face mask. Snacks and extra clothes can be handy if you are in a rain-related backup.

►Are you ready for the road? Expect the unexpected. Are you in area prone to falling rocks? Stay alert because rain can loosen them. Are you driving into heavy rain? Consider delaying travel or waiting it out in a safe spot as far off the road as possible.

►Do you know what to do if your vehicle hydroplanes? This is when you drift due to a thin layer of water between your tires and the pavement. Ease your foot off the gas pedal until you regain traction. Don't brake suddenly. If you are sliding or drifting, gently turn your steering wheel in the direction of your slide.

►Even if you're not hydroplaning, don’t brake suddenly or you could slide on wet pavement. Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. To slow down on a wet road, take your foot off the gas pedal and brake slowly.

It may seem like common sense, but do not risk crossing a flooded wash, even it if doesn’t seem deep. Water is a powerful force and you could, literally, be swept away. Also, do not drive around “Road Closed” signs. Your risk your life and face being cited.

You can find these and other rain safety tips on our website. There’s even more safety advice at azdot.gov/monsoon and PullAsideStayAlive.org.

Don't forget to brush up on the dust detection system along Interstate 10. And, you can take a quiz to find out how much you know about monsoons.

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