Giant Phoenix dust storm grounds flights, knocks out power 

A towering wall of dust turned Phoenix, Arizona, from day into night — a terrifying storm that swept across the desert this week. Time-lapse video captured the massive cloud overtaking the skyline, resulting in no visibility on the ground.

The wall of dust, called a haboob, was hundreds of feet high. It was followed up by some much-needed rain, as the city is sitting 2.5 inches below average for rainfall.

Flights grounded, power lost

Flights at Sky Harbor International Airport came to a halt during the storm, and a 70-mile-per-hour gust ripped material off a terminal roof. The storm also cut power for 55,000 customers.

A mother driving her kids home had to pull over as the storm surrounded her car. She said she couldn’t see anything.

“Can’t see anything. We’re in the middle of a haboob. We’re in our car,” the woman said. The woman told the Associated Press that she wouldn’t be able to see her hand in front of her face if she stepped outside.

By Tuesday evening, crews had mostly restored power and cleared downed trees. However, the storm revealed how swiftly Arizona’s monsoon season can become dangerous.

Haboobs in Phoenix

Haboobs occur every summer. But with Phoenix running drier than usual, this one delivered an extra punch.

According to the Associated Press, not all dust storms are haboobs. Haboobs specifically occur with downdrafts from thunderstorms.

The dust storm was not the only one out West over the past few days. CBS News reported that a dust storm hit the Burning Man festival over the weekend in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.