ABILENE, Texas — A haboob is an intense dust storm caused by the strong outflow of air from a thunderstorm. The word comes from Arabic, meaning “blowing” or “strong wind.”
Here’s how it forms:
- A thunderstorm develops, often in a dry region.
- Cool, dense air from the storm rushes downward and spreads out when it reaches the ground.
- This fast-moving air acts like a bulldozer, picking up loose dust and sand.
- The result is a towering wall of dust that can be hundreds or even thousands of feet high and stretch for many miles.
Haboobs are common in desert and semi-arid regions, especially:
- Arizona (particularly around Phoenix during the summer monsoon season)
- Sudan and other parts of North Africa
- The Middle East
- Parts of Australia
They can be dangerous because they:
- Reduce visibility to near zero in minutes.
- Cause traffic accidents.
- Aggravate asthma and other breathing problems.
- Carry debris and strong winds.
A haboob often looks like a giant brown wall rolling across the landscape, almost like a tidal wave made of dust
