It was a typical early summer evening in southern Arizona, U.S., this past July 5. At 1751 local time, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was reporting 10 mi (16 km) visibility with winds of 7 kt. But all that changed in a matter of minutes.
A 1 mi (1.6 km)-high, 100-mi (1610 km)-wide wall of dust roared in from the southeast, moving at 30–40 mph (48–64 kph). At the airport, the leading edge of the dust cloud moved through at 1847. Within minutes, a full-blown dust storm or haboob — Arabic for “strong wind” — was well under way. At its worst, the visibility dropped to 1/8 mi (200 m) and the winds gusted to 46 kt. The airport was closed for 45 minutes. The reduced visibilities and strong winds lasted for hours.
Dust storms pose a significant hazard for aviation. Not only do they drastically reduce visibility, they also are associated with very strong winds that can seriously affect an aircraft in flight. Engines can be damaged by ingesting the dust.
Strong winds…
