A wall of dust swept east and northeast across the Phoenix Valley on Saturday, followed by rain and thunderstorms that prompted a ground stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The National Weather Service in Phoenix said storms near Gila Bend generated the dust wall around 11:50 a.m. It reached the West Valley about an hour later, bringing wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph, according to the weather service. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Sky Harbor until 2:30 p.m. as showers and storms moved through the area. The Arizona Department of Transportation urged drivers not to enter a dust storm and to follow its “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” guidance. The weather service has warned that blowing dust can sharply reduce visibility, making it dangerous to continue driving. Showers and thunderstorms were expected to persist across metro Phoenix into Sunday afternoon before tapering off. The unsettled weather was linked to remnants of Tropical Cyclone Rachel combining with a low-pressure system over the West Coast.