Haboob
This article is about the climatic event. For the song "Haboob" by Mich Gerber, see Tales of the Wind.A
haboob is a type of intense
dust storm characteristic of very dry regions. They are most commonly observed in the
Sahara desert (typically
Sudan) and in the dry regions of the United States Southwest, such as
Texas,
New Mexico, and
Arizona. African haboobs result from the northward summer shift of the intertropical front into
North Africa, bringing moisture from the
Gulf of Guinea. North American haboobs happen during the
monsoon season when the summer winds shift.
Haboobs are associated with the
outflow of cool gusty downdraft from severe
thunderstorms. When this downdraft reaches the ground, dry, loose sand from the desert settings is essentially blown up creating a wall of sediment preceding the storm cloud. This wall of sand can be up to 100 Km (62 miles) wide and several Kilometers in elevation. Often rain is not seen at the ground level as it evaporates in the hot, dry air (phenomenon known as
virga), though on occasion when the rain does persist the precipitation can contain a considerable quantity of dust (severe cases called "mud storms"). Eye and respiratory system protection are advisable for anyone who must be outside during a haboob - moving to a place of shelter is highly desirable during a strong event.
The word
haboob comes from the
Arabic word هبوب 'strong
wind or "phenomenon".'
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