00:00A massive dust storm, called a haboob, swept through Arizona on Monday, grounding flights, knocking out power to thousands, and causing dangerous road conditions.
00:10The terrifying storm plunged the Phoenix area into darkness, causing travel chaos, as wind gusts reportedly reached up to 70 miles per hour.
00:20But what exactly is a haboob?
00:22According to the American Meteorological Society, a haboob is an intense sand or dust storm that can be classified as a, quote, wall of dust, caused by strong winds often lofted to heights as high as 1,500 meters, or nearly a mile high, along the leading edge that can be, quote, visually stunning.
00:42Haboobs occur fairly regularly in dry and semi-arid regions of the world.
00:46In fact, the word haboob derives from the Arabic word hab, meaning to blow.
00:51The name haboob originated as a designation for dust and sandstorms in central and northern Sudan, where some areas can average about 24 haboobs per year.
01:01Following the passage of a haboob's leading edge, a severe reduction in visibility and high wind speeds are common and can last from tens of minutes to a few hours, potentially dropping massive amounts of dust, according to the organization.
01:15The powerful winds that cause haboobs either form as a result of incoming thunderstorms or from a strong cold front or dry line, according to the Weather Channel.
01:24Haboobs are a well-known phenomenon in the Sonoran Desert.
01:28According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, Arizona was hit with about 100 haboobs in a 10-year period.
01:35To make matters worse, the correlation between haboobs and thunderstorms means that the intense dust storms will often occur during the state's monsoon season, which runs from June through September.
01:46As a result, residents can be slammed by intense rainstorms following the haboob, which happened to Arizonans last night, who were hit by a massive thunderstorm after the dust storm.
01:57As if trying to navigate your commute to work in a massive wall of dust wasn't enough.
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