A monstrous wall of dust, towering a mile high and stretching an incredible 200 miles wide, has engulfed Phoenix, Arizona, transforming day into night and bringing the city to a grinding halt.
The colossal haboob—an intense dust storm common in arid regions—swept across the state on Tuesday evening, dramatically reducing visibility to zero and creating extremely dangerous travel conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Phoenix urgently warned residents to stay indoors and avoid travel as the storm hit.
Chaos at Sky Harbour International
The impact was immediate and severe at Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport. Over 50 arriving and departing flights were abruptly cancelled, with countless more delayed, stranding passengers and causing widespread disruption. Air traffic was brought to a near standstill as the thick dust made safe operations impossible.
Local meteorologists captured stunning and terrifying footage of the approaching haboob, a rolling, brown cloud that swallowed the landscape whole. The storm was a product of powerful thunderstorms along a moving outflow boundary, which kicked up vast amounts of dust from the desert terrain.
A Warning to Residents
In the storm's wake, the NWS continued to issue severe weather warnings for the region. The public was advised to treat any dust-related visibility drops below a mile as a serious threat. "Pull aside, stay alive" became the critical message, urging drivers to exit the roadway completely, turn off all lights, and keep their foot off the brake pedal to avoid being rear-ended.
This dramatic event underscores the raw power of the Arizona monsoon season, a period known for its sudden and violent weather phenomena that can pose a significant threat to life and property.
