Large dust storm covers Phoenix

PHOENIX – A giant wall of dust rolled through the Phoenix area on Monday, turning the sky brown, creating dangerous driving conditions and delaying some airline flights.

The dust, also known as a haboob in Arabic and around Arizona, formed in Pinal County and headed northeast, reaching Phoenix at about 5:30 p.m.

The dust wall was about 3,000 feet high and created winds of 25 to 30 mph, with gusts of up to 40 mph, said Austin Jamison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

There were no immediate reports of accidents because of the storm, which began to clear within an hour of moving in. Some departing flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were delayed, said airport spokeswoman Julie Rodriguez.

Incoming flights were being held until the storm cleared, she said.

Another giant dust storm in Arizona caught worldwide attention on July 5. That storm brought a mile-high wall of dust that halted airline flights, knocked out power for hundreds of people and turned swimming pools into mud pits.

Jamison said Monday’s storm was not as powerful or as large as the last one, and didn’t last as long.