How dangerous is a dust storm? Alerts ring out across Arizona on Sunday evening

Phoenix, Arizona: The National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix issued a dust storm warning for parts of Maricopa and Pinal Counties on Sunday night, referring to it as "a wall of dust was along a line extending from near Big Horn to near Olberg to near San Tan Mountain Park to six miles south of Florence Junction, moving north at 35 mph".

Now in case anyone thought a "wall of dust" didn't warrant any concern, think again. But before we get into how dangerous dust storms can be, we need to understand what a dust storm is.

What is a dust storm?

Dust storms, are also known as haboobs (from the Arabic word 'habūb', which means "blowing" or "strong wind"). These winds often result from thunderstorms, cold fronts, or high-pressure systems, which create an unstable air mass. When the wind speeds are high enough, they lift large amounts of dust and sand into the atmosphere, reducing visibility and creating a dense cloud of particles. Dry, arid regions are particularly prone to dust storms due to their loose, dry soil and lack of vegetation to anchor the soil. 

How dangerous are dust storms?

They can be extremely dangerous, largely due to reduced visibility that leads to traffic accidents and health risks the dust particles pose to those suffering from asthma and other respiratiry issues. 

What is the worst dust storm to hit the US?

The worst dust storm to hit the United States was in the 1930s during the Dust Bowl. On April 14, 1935, a day gone down in history as 'Black Sunday', a severe dust storms swept across the Great Plains, turning the sky dark and causing widespread devastation. It is estimated that 300 thousand tons of topsoil were displaced from the prairie area severely impacting agriculture and health.