Arizona dust storm: Thousands lose power as towering haboob hits Phoenix

People cannot see farther than 50 feet in front if they get stuck in the middle of such dust storms.

A huge wall of dust swept across metro Phoenix on Monday and reduced visibility to almost nothing in the region. It was accompanied by severe storms that left tens of thousands without electricity and even caused major chaos at the city's airport, the Independent reported.

Towering cloud of dust at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (AP)

Several flights were grounded at one of the country's busiest airports due to the powerful storm. According to CNN, the severe thunderstorm activity left several trees on the streets, while a connector bridge was shredded due to the 70 mph wind gusts at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Nearly 57,000 customers remain without power

The wall of dust, known meteorologically as a haboob, came in from the desert regions, leaving around 57,000 homes and businesses with no electricity during the dust storm, ABC15 Phoenix reported. Haboob in Arabic means a giant dust storm.

Data from PowerOutage.us shows that the maximum number of outages was reported in Maricopa County.

Dust storm as well as thunderstorm warnings were issued in Phoenix by the National Weather Service, which has cautioned drivers about dangerously low visibility, asking them to “pull aside stay alive.”

Across Arizona, over 60,000 customers remained without electricity.

"You should NEVER drive into a dust storm, but if you encounter one and don’t have time to exit, remember to Pull Aside, Stay Alive," read a post on X from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Moreover, it was informed by the transport department that visibility had been reduced badly on I-10 and I-17 due to the dust storm, as well as flooding on roadways.

In a later post, it was updated that “all lanes are now open.”

At the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, both landings and departures were delayed by up to 30 minutes on Monday night as a crew member assessed the damage.

Monsoon season in Arizona

While dust storms are often reported in Arizona, the one on Monday was considered to be highly impactful. The haboob in Phoenix came after the dust storm in Nevada over the weekend.

During such weather conditions, it is almost impossible to see over a few feet in front of you, as it chokes out light.

FAQs:

What is Haboob?

It is a dust storm moved forward by wind produced through weather front or thunderstorm. It is usually reported in flat regions.

How's the weather in metro Phoenix on Tuesday?

Mark O’Malley, a meteorologist associated with the National Weather Service, said there is a 40% chance of rain in the region on Tuesday.

Which region remained majorly affected by the thunderstorms?

The majority of outages were seen in Maricopa County.