ARIZONA, USA — Western Arizona treated us here in the Valley to a preview of what is to come soon during monsoon season as a dust storm blew through near the California border on Sunday.
Dust storms are a common summer sight in Arizona due to our intense monsoon storms and they are something we all need to be prepared for, especially if they reach the status of being called a 'haboob,' which are the storms that create massive walls of dust that have gotten a lot of attention on social media over the years.
Let's explain these storms and how you can stay safe when they hit this summer.
Why are dust storms called haboobs?
You may have heard the saying, "All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares," in geometry class growing up. It turns out that the same is true for dust storms as all haboobs are dust storms, but not all dust storms are haboobs. Here's why.
The term haboob comes from the Arabic word 'hab,' which means 'to blow' and has been in use by meteorologists for more than 100 years, according to the Royal Meteorological Society.
However, for a dust storm to become a haboob, it must have been caused by a microburst, which is "an intense column of sinking air within a thunderstorm." The microburst will then kick the dust particles into the air and create walls of dust that can reach heights of 5,000 feet and widths of up to 100 miles while moving at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
Dust storms, which were what was seen in Arizona on May 5, can be caused by thunderstorms, the jet stream or windy weather and are typically smaller than haboobs.
How to stay safe when a dust storm or a haboob hits
One of the major dangers a dust storm or haboob poses is reduced visibility, which is a major issue for drivers.
To help keep the roads safe when a dust storm hits, the Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to pull aside in order to stay alive.
ADOT advises drivers to never drive into a dust storm. But, if one hits while you are driving and you are never to get off the road or highway, here are some tips.
- Slow down and pull off the road safely
- Don't stop in a travel lane or emergency lane
- Pull completely off the paved road
- Turn off all lights, including flashers
- Set your parking brake
- Take your foot off the brake
- Stay in your car with your seatbelt buckled
- Wait for the storm to pass
For more safety tips, visit pullasidestayalive.org or the Arizona Emergency Information Network.
ADOT has a dust storm warning system on Interstate 10 to track when a dust storm will hit. It consists of 13 sensors between mileposts 209 and 219, just north of Picacho Peak, that measure visibility and precipitation. To learn more about that, click here.
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