Millions Of Americans Brace For ‘Fungal Storm’ Carrying Disease-Causing Spores

A dangerous dust storm rolling across Arizona could kick up more than dirt.

Forecasters warned Tuesday that strong winds and thunderstorms could send walls of dust across southeastern Arizona, raising fresh concerns about Valley fever, a potentially serious lung infection caused by fungal spores that live in desert soil.

The National Weather Service issued a blowing dust advisory from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time, warning that visibility could suddenly drop to near zero as storms develop.

Residents with respiratory conditions were urged to stay indoors until the dust clears, while drivers were told to pull off the road if they encounter a dust wall.

The immediate alert covered southeastern Arizona, but experts have warned that so-called “fungal storms” could pose a broader threat across at least 11 states where the fungus Coccidioides may be present.

Coccidioides can be disturbed when dry soil is kicked into the air by construction, farming, wind or monsoon storms.

Once airborne, the microscopic spores can be inhaled into the lungs.

For many people, Valley fever causes mild or flu-like symptoms.

For others, it can become far more dangerous, spreading beyond the lungs to the bones, brain or other organs.

Arizona officials have not confirmed that Tuesday’s dust storm contains the fungus.

But the storm is moving through a region where Coccidioides is known to live.

The timing also matters.

The Southwest is moving deeper into the North American monsoon season, when thunderstorms and powerful winds can whip desert soil into massive walls of dust.

The weather service warned that dust could reduce visibility to between one-quarter mile and one mile shortly after storms develop, with gusts expected to exceed 40 mph.

Local meteorologists said winds could reach 60 mph.

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‘If you encounter blowing dust or blowing sand on the roadway or see it approaching, pull off the road as far as possible and put your vehicle in park,’ the agency said.

‘Turn the lights all the way off and keep your foot off the brake pedal. Remember, “Pull Aside, Stay.”‘

The advisory included eastern Cochise County, the Upper Gila and San Pedro River valleys, and the Chiricahua, Dragoon, Mule, Huachuca, Santa Rita, Galiuro and Pinaleño Mountains.

The warning came after a violent dust storm hit outside Phoenix on Monday evening and stretched as far as Tucson, more than 100 miles south.

Here’s a little timelapse of the dust storm rolling through the Tucson area this evening. pic.twitter.com/xfpxnxhdCz

— Mary Coleman (@Mary_reports) August 4, 2026

Meteorologist Jorge Torres said poor air quality lingered Tuesday morning after the storm blew through the Valley.

‘Monday night’s dust storm is still lingering over the Valley this morning, with air quality readings ranging from unhealthy to hazardous.

‘Sensitive groups should limit outdoor time early.’

Valley fever has become a growing public-health concern in Arizona and across the Southwest.

The fungus grows naturally in dry, sandy soils in arid regions with hot summers, mild winters and low rainfall.

It is usually not a problem until the soil is disturbed and spores become airborne.

The CDC says Valley fever infections are still considered rare, but the agency has acknowledged that outbreaks have appeared in places where scientists did not expect the fungus to live.

Arizona remains one of the hardest-hit states.

Maricopa County alone recorded 4,498 confirmed Valley fever cases during the first six months of 2026.

More than 12,000 cases were reported statewide last year, and Arizona typically accounts for roughly two-thirds of all U.S. infections.

Researchers have found Valley fever cases rising sharply in recent years across the Southwest, though experts are still studying exactly why the infections are increasing so quickly.

In the Phoenix area, infections surged in 2024, climbing 42% to 12,522 cases from 8,841 the year before, according to state health data.

The national count also rose, jumping from 16,746 cases to 22,244.

For Arizona residents, Tuesday’s advisory is a reminder that the desert’s biggest health threat is not always the heat.

Sometimes it is what the wind pulls out of the ground.

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