Eerie Photos of Huge Phoenix Dust Storm

By , Meteorologist
June 29, 2012; 9:37 AM
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Eerie Photos of Huge Phoenix Dust Storm

Storified by Accu Weather · Thu, Jun 28 2012 04:59:45

Phoenix was hit by a massive dust storm on Wednesday evening, dangerously lowering the visibility.
I love the summer! #Not "@azcentral: Thanks @beezy025 for this dust storm photo http://pic.twitter.com/FtncRoIy" #Phoenix #HaboobMatthew Strauss
Dude, what's going on out there!? #monsoon2012 #puppies http://pic.twitter.com/1oTatK63Rebecca Thomas
Monsoon moisture, or moisture streaming in from the eastern Pacific, is beginning to return slowly to the Southwest, allowing some spotty thunderstorms to ignite.

Thunderstorms downbursts, or strong winds flowing down and out from a thunderstorm, can stir lose sand or dust in the Desert Southwest. This can send a wall of dust over an area much larger than the thunderstorm. Dust storms that develop in this way are referred to as haboobs by meteorologists.

Winds around 40 mph helped to stir the dust in Phoenix Wednesday evening.

Blowing dust also Phoenix on Tuesday evening as well with 30 mph wind gusts occurring.

Dust storm number two is here! #monsoon2012 @KPHO http://pic.twitter.com/JNq8GP1GRebecca Thomas
Dust storm. :/ http://pic.twitter.com/NAuoAgqC.erica.
@reedtimmerTVN @JimCantore dust storm in Phoenix, AZ tonight! http://pic.twitter.com/GATwvvpnHeather Brown
Dust Storm Warming for the Phoenix metro area until 9 p.m. Wednesday night. http://az3.tv/MUSNLb #Monsoon http://pic.twitter.com/hi8hZfylazfamily
dust storm coming into Phoenix #iphoneography #photography #weather #duststorm http://pic.twitter.com/Bsv2ju2MRich Carrillo
#Dust #storm #sand #Mesa #Phoenix #Arizona #haboob http://pic.twitter.com/MQHq3wmMKimball
Big ol dust storm rolling into Phoenix. http://pic.twitter.com/s0jnvYugAndy Martin
Dust storm phoenix http://pic.twitter.com/8OJXl8Bsdarrelanderson

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