By ROSS FRANKLIN and HALLIE GOLDEN
PHOENIX (AP) — A powerful storm kicked up a towering wall of dust that rolled through metro Phoenix on Monday, darkening the sky, blinding drivers, knocking out power and grounding flights at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
Bernae Boykin Hitesman was driving her son and daughter, ages 9 and 11, home from school when the storm, known as a haboob, arrived late in the afternoon in Arizona City, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix.
She had to quickly pull over as the storm engulfed her car. “I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face if I put my hand outside,” she said.
A giant dust storm approaches the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushes the dust into the air, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A giant dust storm approaches the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushes the dust into the air, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A giant dust storm approaches the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushes the dust into the air, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) This photo provided by the City of Phoenix shows a towering cloud of dust at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (City of Phoenix via AP) Show Caption1 of 4A giant dust storm approaches the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushes the dust into the air, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) ExpandBoykin Hitesman said she could taste the dust and feel the strong wind rattling her car until it finally passed about 15 minutes later.
“I was nervous,” she said. “My kids were really, really scared, so I was trying to be brave for them.”
A haboob is a dust storm pushed by the wind produced by a weather front or thunderstorm and typically occurs in flat, arid areas. Heavy rain and wind followed Monday’s haboob, delaying flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and causing some damage to a terminal roof.
“Crews have been identifying leaks and attempting to clean up water where it has collected in passenger areas,” Heather Shelbrack, the airport’s deputy aviation director for public relations, said in an email.
More than 15,000 people lost power, most in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, according to PowerOutage.us.
Richard Filley, a retired university professor who lives in Gilbert, said the dust storm caused the trees to sway and knocked bird feeders to the ground. Fine dust found its way through “every little crack and space” into his house, he said.
“The windstorm part of it, I’m glad it’s gone,” he said. “You look at the photos of haboobs and they are a spectacular natural phenomenon. They are kind of beautiful in their own way.”
Related Articles
Wall Street holds steady just below recent records Study says AI chatbots inconsistent in handling suicide-related queries Cracker Barrel says it “could’ve done a better job” with release of new logo that angered some fans Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant basketball card sells for a record $12.9 million at auction Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s howPhoenix has been drier than usual during the monsoon season, while parts of southeast and north-central Arizona have had a fair amount of rain, said Mark O’Malley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
“But that’s typical for a monsoon, very hit and miss,” he said.
The forecast for metro Phoenix calls for a 40% chance of rain Tuesday before drying out, O’Malley said.
Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press writer Felicia Fonseca contributed reporting from Flagstaff, Arizona.
Hence then, the article about towering wall of dust rolls through metro phoenix leaving thousands without power was published today ( ) and is available on Los Angeles Daily News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Towering wall of dust rolls through metro Phoenix, leaving thousands without power )
Also on site :
- Aura AI Assistant for Unreal Engine Launches: VR Studio Ships Game in Half the Time with New Agent Capabilities
- Man accused of placing pipe bombs near GOP and Democratic headquarters in Washington to remain in jail pending trial
- FDA Clears BrainSpace Intellidrop, an automated neuro device that addresses ICU nursing shortages and builds training data for Physical AI