Phoenix Arizona experienced an unusually massive sand storm, or ‘haboob‘ in the early evening today. Excited and mesmerized residents stopped to film the event, many capturing time-lapse videos as the impressive storm swallowed the city.
Although not entirely unusual in Arizona, this storm was uniquely large, reaching thousands of feet into the air. For more information on this striking type of storm, be sure to check out the video at the bottom of this page featuring Arizona State University weather expert Randy Cerveny discussing the causes and effects of desert haboobs.
Below: Long time Phoenix resident Mike Olbinski has seen tons of dust storms in his 35 years there… this, he says, “was something else entirely.”
Youtube user kylemacrodot captures the storm in real time from the roadside:
Taken from a hill at Sun Ray park in Ahwatukee (Phoenix), Arizona by Blaine Coury:
Steven Esparza captured the storm from his home, recording a frame every 30 seconds:
ASU Weather Expert Randy Cerveny talks about the history and effect of haboobs:
indeed it was a quite violent storm as seen only in middle east probably. The speedy vimeo video is impressive, weird that people were still riding on freeway. not advisable thou
It’s massive and huge. Looked as if tsunami stroke the town and engulfed the city entirely. Massive. And horrible, what an unpleasant sight to see! What is wrong with us that causes our Earth Mother to fall sick? =|
Can you share with me the techniques which are presently being used in various parts of the globe to arrest sand particles from low intensity sand storms and/or high intensity sandstorms?
Also, the techniques which are presently being used to check inlet of sand particles into an engine of a moving car [during sandstorm or otherwise] in desert areas? Also, please send me details on filters are being used for the purpose.
how often do they happen