A huge wall of dust rolls through parts of Phoenix, Arizona, hampering air traffic and destroying some power lines. Aerial images showed a massive wall of dust, fuelled by dry conditions, slowly covering areas of the Phoenix, Arizona, shrouding parts of the city in a heavy haze of suspended dust particles. The storm created poor visibility conditions, delayed air traffic and brought down power lines, leaving several thousand residents without electricity. The phenomenon is commonly known in Arizona as "Haboob", an Arabic term for a type of intense sand storm generally seen in the Sahara Desert and across the Arabian Peninsula. This is the third time a Haboob has struck Phoenix since last month. Source:
The Telegraph (UK) (August 19th, 2011)