Miles-Long Dust Storm Halts Flights and Cuts Power in Arizona: 'Couldn’t See My Hand in Front of My Face'

NEED TO KNOW

• Phoenix and other cities in Arizona were affected by a dramatic dust storm called a haboob on Monday, Aug. 25

• The storm was followed by heavy rain and winds, leaving thousands without power and temporarily grounding flights at one of the nation's busiest airports

• A haboob can send dust flying 10,000 feet into the air and reduces visibility to near-zero

Parts of Arizona were brought to a standstill after being hit by a massive dust storm called a haboob.

The storm, followed by heavy rains and wind, ran through Phoenix and Arizona City on Monday, Aug. 25, according to reporting by NBC News. Fox Weather reported that gusts of wind ranging from 60 to 66 mph were clocked across the area.

One video reshared by NBC showed the storm "stretching for miles into the distance."

The massive storm knocked out power for as many as 15,000 people on Monday evening, according to NBC News and The Associated Press. Approximately 5,000 were still without power in the early hours of Tuesday.

However, at the time of publishing, the number of people affected by outages in the state was reduced to around 500, according to Poweroutage.us.

Speaking to the AP, Bernae Boykin Hitesman recalled being stuck in her car with her two young children when the storm hit. They were stuck in harrowing conditions for around 15 minutes, left unable to see and tasting dust through the closed windows.

“I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face if I put my hand outside,” Boykin Hitesman said, adding that she "was nervous" but tried "to be brave" for her children, aged 9 and 11.

Police in nearby Gilbert, Ariz. issued a statement on X, urging people not to travel unless absolutely necessary, citing "traffic light outages and downed trees across town."

"If you must travel, please drive with caution as we are working diligently to restore lights and clear roadways," authorities wrote.

A terminal roof at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was damaged in the storm, according to reporting by AP. The airport was forced to delay flights, with The New York Times reporting that flights were banned from taking off for around an hour.

According to NBC News, the airport is one of the busiest in the United States.

Homes were also affected by the storm, with Fox Weather reporting that at least one property lost a roof in Marana, Ariz.

Richard Filley from Gilbert spoke about the storms to the AP, saying that his home was showered in the dust, which found its way inside through "every little crack and space."

Despite the devastation, he described the storm as "a spectacular natural phenomenon," adding, "They are kind of beautiful in their own way."

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“The windstorm part of it, I’m glad it’s gone,” he told the outlet.

The term haboob has its roots in Arabic, translating to "strong wind" or "gale," per the BBC. NBC noted that the dust storms are most common in "arid, wide open spaces."

Fox Weather explained that dust storms are caused by "intense downdrafts from nearby thunderstorms."

Although usually short-lived, the dust from the storms can travel up to 10,000 feet into the air and can cause extreme issues with visibility, making them "extremely dangerous along freeways and highways."

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