Hayleigh Evans

6 days ago | azcentral.com | Hayleigh Evans

Haboobs are often the first visible sign that a monsoon storm is approaching metro Phoenix. They form when downdrafts from thunderstorms slam into the hot desert floor. Pinal and Maricopa counties are primed for dust storms this year. A combination of drought, vacant lots, construction sites and unplanted farm fields set up conditions needed for a haboob. A haboob can stretch for miles and rise a mile into the air. In 2011, one storm slammed into Phoenix and left 40,000 tons of dust on every surface.

6 days ago | yahoo.com | Hayleigh Evans

If you've lived here even a short time, you know the drill: One moment, the sky is clear. The next, visibility drops to zero as a massive dust storm engulfs the landscape. During the monsoon, a wall of dust can appear out of nowhere in the Arizona desert. Experts say the summer dust storms could blow through more often this year.

1 week ago | azcentral.com | Hayleigh Evans

Weather forecasts usually include a UV index, a measure of the intensity of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The higher the number, the greater the risk to people. Most of the radiation that reaches the earth is UVA, which can penetrate deep into the skin, lead to tanning and burning and contribute to cancer risks. UV radiation levels are high in Phoenix partly because of its latitude on the Earth. In 2024, levels were very high or extreme on 151 days.

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Hayleigh Evans

Weather forecasters say Memorial Day will bring seasonably hot and dry conditions to Phoenix. Records show a few cooler Memorial Day weekends over the years, as well as a scorcher more than a century ago. Memorial Day weekend in Phoenix usually means firing up the grill under the hot sun, and this year will be no exception. Temperatures were expected to fluctuate from the upper 90s to the lower 100s by the end of the week and into the weekend.

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Hayleigh Evans

A thermal camera built at Arizona State University is on its way take readings on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. To test the camera and its readings, the NASA mission detoured to Mars, relying on the extensive data collected from the red planet over the decades. Once at Europa in 2030, the Clipper mission will seek information about the thickness of the moon's icy shell and look for signs that life could be supported.