TUCSON, Ariz. - The Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and National Weather Service are joining forces to host this year's dust storm workshop in Coolidge.
The workshop is meant to give all of the participating departments and agencies a space where they can talk about dust storms and how they impact the people of Arizona.
Talking about dust with @ArizonaDEQ, @NWSPhoenix, @ArizonaDOT and scientists from as far away as El Paso at the annual Dust Workshop at Central Arizona College in Coolidge.
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) March 5, 2019
The Arizona Department of Transportation is expected to talk about different detection systems they are working to employ between Picacho and Eloy on the I-10 near State Route 87.
That new technology includes automated highway signs and variable speed limit signs along with special radar which will help ADOT officials pinpoint blowing dust and activate the necessary technology to keep drivers safe.
In 2017 the area had 83 total crashes because of blowing dust, dirt or sand, according to ADOT.
The National Weather Service is expected to talk about their polygon alert system.
The new alert system was put in place in 2017 and was meant to better accurately target people who were in a weather warning area by sending them an alert.
Previously, the NWS was sending these alert warnings to entire counties even when only a small portion of people within that county were impacted. The improved system was designed to avoid that ongoing problem.
The dust storm workshop will take place in Coolidge on Tuesday, March 5. The meeting starts at 8 a.m. and goes until 12:30 p.m.
The meeting will be held at the Central Arizona College, Signal Peak Campus.
