PHOENIX — A significant wall of dust was moving northwest at 25 mph, approximately 40 miles from downtown Phoenix, yesterday around 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Visibility was reduced to less than a quarter mile with strong winds exceeding 40 mph, affecting Interstate 10, Interstate 17, and State Route 51, according to the National Weather Service.
For those not from the Southwest, it may be surprising to learn that large dust storms are not unusual in the dry deserts of Arizona.
While dust storms and haboobs (pronounced “huh-boobs”) involve swirling dust and debris, they differ significantly in formation, size, duration, and impact.
Haboobs: Thunderstorm-Driven Dust Storms
Arizona’s monsoon season, which runs from June through September, brings higher humidity and a range of inclement weather, including thunderstorms, heavy rain, lightning, hail, high winds, flash flooding, dust storms, and extreme heat.
Haboobs, characterized by strong winds carrying a wall of dust and debris, typically occur during the summer and pose significant hazards to transportation, health, and infrastructure.