"Dust storms usually last only a few minutes, but the actions a motorist takes during the storm may be the most important of his or her life.". However, more severe cases might require drugs to clear up. First, you risk people not familiar with the term, or who were only half paying attention to what you said, giving you odd looks. Enormous amounts of dust and sand are blown into the air, obstructing visibility and even blocking out the sun. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The days following this historic storm were dominated by a widespread cleanup effort to reclaim the city from the newly deposited layers of dust. Believe it or not, Arizona does get thunderstorms every once in a while but primarily in the monsoon season. Farmers who leave their land unplanted will still have to follow a few of the suggested guidelines and keep large-particulate (PM 10) emissions below a certain threshold. No worries, though! Change ). It would be terrible to be low on gas and get stranded on the highway or roadway as a result of running that tank out during the massive holdups. Debris can reach several kilometers into the sky and they sometimes leave up to a foot of dust in their wake. According to the CDC, Valley Fever comes from a fungal infection in the lungs and the flu-like symptoms can include fever, chest pain, coughing and sometimes a rash. But every community around the state contributes, Hyde said, and the farmers should not be scapegoats. “It was just very eerie. A haboob can arrive quite unexpectedly, so it’s difficult to be prepared for one. Most storms peter out after 25 to 50 miles, losing strength as energy along the leading edge of the storm front dissipates. The latest 2017 government estimates show over 260,475 acres of idle or fallow agricultural lands across the state. Follow them on Twitter: @AndrewNicla and @PriscillaTotiya. The particles, called particulate matter by air quality regulators, are so small they can enter a person's lungs or bloodstream. I wish the forces that could change some of the things would. ©2020 FOX News Network, LLC. If she absolutely has to leave, she’ll tuck away a mask in her purse just in case and stay inside as much as she can. With a better understanding of what is a haboob, you can feel more confident that should one of these Arizona dust storms hit, you will be able to safely navigate through it until it passes. Turn off all vehicle lights – and take your foot off the brake – so other cars still on the road don’t try to “follow” you. Each summer, this severe Arizona dust storm often comes on suddenly and has the potential for much damage. With shortages looming on the Colorado River, the flow of water into Pinal County will likely slow much sooner. Thelander prides himself on using drip irrigation, a system of poly tubing with strategically placed holes, that let him use only as much water as he needs. The winds pushing this cloud can top sixty miles per hour, too! “It’s like throwing a rock in a pond,” Rogers described. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! “But I can read policy recommendations and draw informed conclusions and speak out. (Arizona DOT). If you get flu-like symptoms after a dust storm, it’s advisable to consult your doctor. While driving through an Arizona dust storm can be frightening, one of the most important things that you can remember is that you should never stop your automobile on the roadway. So not just thinking about soil but ways of improving the health of the soil so that plants can come in.”. Dust pollution from human activities and disturbed land has become an immense problem that the state needs to solve, said ASU's Hyde, sitting at a picnic table at Picacho Peak State Park. "“I’m here, it’s my home," she said. It usually does not rain during these storms, the majority of the dust goes through first, then it rains. For example, The National Weather Service estimates that Phoenix experiences about three haboobs per year, normally between the months of June and September. But hours later, thunderstorms developed that triggered dust storms across parts of the area. The expense is tremendous. “I’m not a policy expert,” she admitted. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I think it’s an important issue.”. BLISTERING HEAT ROASTS WEST WITH WIDESPREAD STORMS, TROPICS ACTIVE HEADING INTO HEART OF HURRICANE SEASON. Interstate 10 through Pinal County turns treacherous during the summer monsoon season: About half the 85 dust-related crashes between 2010 and 2015 occurred in a two-mile section near Picacho Peak, sometimes called the "Dust Corridor." Not everyone can afford the system, which costs about $1,500 an acre to install. First, be sure that your car has enough gas in it at all times. Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself as much as you can with how to deal with a haboob dust storm so that you can pilot yourself and your passengers to safety if you are driving when one occurs. State takes aggressive approach to detecting dust storms. Roadways and highways became parking lots, and delays at the nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport meant that no one was getting anywhere fast. Some of those crashes were fatal. She might be climbing that now, but because of her condition, this is usually the best view she gets of it if the air quality is too poor. Next, you should try to pull off to the side of the road while using as much caution as possible. Before you can finish the word, this person will begin to smugly explain — often at unnecessary length — that “haboob” actually only refers to dust and sand storms in Africa. It was her first time in a storm as bad as that, but it felt oddly familiar. Keep reading to find out how you can stay safe. By knowing the precautions to take during these storms, everyone can stay safe and appreciate this weird weather phenomenon! A dust storm can cause chaos on the roadways as visibility plummets, often within minutes. On a piece of vacant desert near Picacho Peak, University of Arizona researchers Joey Blankinship and Kyle Rine are working on a series of tests they hope will lead to a natural, relatively cheap and long-lasting solution that improves soil health, the first step toward controlling dust. The weather agency recorded the starting locations for 34 dust storms between 2010 and 2018. ( Log Out /  “It affects lung growth and even brain development.”. They're finer than a grain of sand, allowing them to get caught in the respiratory system. Hyde, the ASU researcher, said the largest contributors are mine tailings, mostly from Hayden and Ajo; construction in areas from Tucson to Glendale; the Salt River Channel in Mesa; disturbed scrub desert in Yuma; and agricultural land around the state. It's hard to say how often. All rights reserved. WATCH: Footage of dust storms swept over the Valley through the night Sunday, Aug. 16, along with monsoons and record-high temperatures. The question, perhaps, is not when it’s going to happen, but what are people going to do about it. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. That’s why Blankinship hopes once he shows a working proof of concept, people will invest more money, helping him find a better formula or a way for them to better manage themselves. Certain haboobs have been even higher, such as the one in July of 2011 that reached a whopping height of 5,000 feet. When other cars are trying to navigate their own way through a haboob dust storm, they may see your taillights as a guide for them to follow. Welcome to the number one resource for things to do in the Phoenix Metro area. Dust pollution can trigger asthma attacks, contribute to lung cancer, heart attacks and premature deaths. Desert Thunderstorms. Less water and more idle land would worsen conditions in western Pinal County, Hyde said. You’ve probably seen the jaw-dropping pictures or video of a mile-high wall of dust rolling at 50 mph over the Valley, devouring the comparatively tiny skyscrapers like a tidal wave of death and destruction. Also, alert any out-of-town visitors who may not be aware of the haboob what they should do in the event of one happening. That means if you’re outside, no matter how careful you are, some of it will end up in your lungs. It's still a challenge, however, to predict when the next great dust storm will happen. The National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix office said that the city beat the previous record-high temperature of 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, topping out at 115 degrees. Not surprisingly, dust storms frequently occur in the desert. "Further research is needed to conclusively identify the specific health impacts related to inhaling dust particles," Achakulwisut said. Haboobs are most common during monsoon season. They plowed up all the ground, leveled it out, and then the bottom fell out of housing market. Legal Statement. Of that, 65,550 acres were in Maricopa County, 10,952 acres in Pima County and 56,496 acres in Pinal County. A haboob is an intense dust storm that is carried on an atmospheric gravity current. “Pull Aside – Stay Alive” The Arizona Department of Transportation started the catchy “Pull Aside – … While regulation and voluntary mitigation practices may have good intentions, Hyde said, they’re hard to enforce and they can only do so much. “So why can’t the state fix it?" Joe has been closely associated with the automotive industry for the past 10 years. Sometimes, when many cars are subject to the haboob’s wrath at once, there can be gigantic pile-ups on Arizona roadways. "But the evidence so far does suggest that desert dust is a toxic component of particulate matter.". The “wall of dust” people are familiar with is linked most often to summer thunderstorms, Rogers said. These walls of sediment can be as big as sixty-two miles long and extend nearly a mile into the air. Sand gets into your eyes, mouth and ear canals. In other words, you could stay outside and brave it without being blown away or killed by flying debris — unless a tree branch or palm frond falls on you. During the summer monsoon season, this stretch of Pinal County can erupt in blinding clouds of grit and dust, brown curtains rising thousands of feet in the air, sweeping across a path miles wide. “We just had a booming housing market. I’m used to storms blowing rain, not dust. CLICK HERE FOR MORE WEATHER COVERAGE FROM FOX NEWS. They’re not the “normal” type of thunderstorms, because these clouds really have to fight to get through the desert. The National Weather Service estimated that the July 5, 2011 Phoenix dust storm reached a peak height of at least 5,000 to 6,000 feet, with the leading edge stretching for almost 100 miles. The best thing you can do for you and your passengers is find a safe place to wait out the storm until it is over. Travis Fedschun is a reporter for FoxNews.com. One day, she was at a tai chi class on what looked like a clear day, but when she left the class, she walked into the middle of a thick brown haze and could barely see where her car was. (Fox News). It’s just the way the world works.”. Dust storms (aka haboobs) are a common occurrence in Arizona and they often wreak havoc when they blow through. For some, they may even be the cause of severe anxiety. A dust storm, also called sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Wind gusts can reach 30-70 mph, creating a huge wall of dust. Farmers like Thelander were expecting water cuts, but not for another 11 years. But in the midst of a climate crisis, the return of drought looms as a possibility in the desert Southwest. This, in turn, can cause delays that may go on for hours.