Haboob: Phoenix Area Now Recovering After Dust Storm Disruption

Liputan6.com, Jakarta A massive dust storm, known as a haboob, swept through Phoenix, Arizona, on Monday night, August 25, 2025.

This dust storm emerged as part of the monsoon season, which frequently occurs in the desert regions of the southwestern United States.

The immediate impacts of the haboob were significant, including flight disruptions, widespread power outages, and extremely hazardous travel conditions for motorists.

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the Phoenix metropolitan area reported experiencing power outages, while operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were suspended.

Now the Phoenix area are recovering from the natural damage and here is the detail.

An incredible look at the massive dust storm, known as a haboob, sweeping across Phoenix on Monday night. pic.twitter.com/dTkBGa6v2u

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) August 27, 2025

After the haboob passed on August 25, 2025, recovery efforts began immediately.

Crews worked throughout the night to restore power, as reported by AP News.

By Tuesday afternoon, August 26, 2025, most of the outages had been resolved, with only about 100 people still without power in Maricopa County.

Restoration at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was also proceeding quickly.

Repairs were completed by crews working throughout the night, and only minor flight delays were reported on Tuesday morning, according to Tribune Courier.

Crews were also busy clearing downed trees and power lines, as well as debris from roadways, especially in suburban areas.

Despite the recovery efforts, the threat of further monsoon storms remains.

Widespread thunderstorms are still possible on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, due to continued monsoon moisture across California, the Intermountain West, and the Desert Southwest.

Drier weather is expected to arrive on Thursday, providing a respite for Phoenix residents after the devastating haboob.

The weather was warm and clear in the Phoenix area Tuesday, with scattered thunderstorms giving way to hot and dry weather through the rest of the week.

The impact of the haboob was felt widely throughout Phoenix.

One of the most significant impacts was the power outages that affected tens of thousands of customers.

Approximately 55,000 to 60,000 homes and businesses across the Phoenix metropolitan area experienced power outages.

The aviation sector was also severely impacted.

Flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were delayed or temporarily halted, resulting in more than 200 flights being delayed by 9:30 p.m.

Damage to airport infrastructure was also reported, including roof damage and debris flying onto the runway, as well as a connecting bridge damaged by the strong winds.

Furthermore, numerous trees were downed and power lines were downed in various locations.

Traffic lights were out in Gilbert, and leaks occurred in several areas of the airport facility due to the strong winds and heavy rains that accompanied the haboob.

Travel conditions became extremely hazardous, with visibility reduced to just a few dozen feet on I-10, while I-17 was partially closed due to flooding.

Bernae Boykin Hitesman was driving her son and daughter, ages 9 and 11, home from school when the storm arrived in Arizona City, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix.

She quickly pulled over as the storm engulfed the car. “I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face if I put my hand outside,” she said. 

Boykin Hitesman 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.”

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) advised drivers to pull over and turn off their headlights if caught in the storm for safety.

Bird feeders fell from swaying trees, and a roof was reportedly ripped off a home near Marana, Arizona.

A haboob is an intense dust storm that forms when a thunderstorm generates a powerful downdraft.

This descending cold air then spreads in all directions at high speeds, reaching 80 to 129 kilometers per hour, lifting loose dust and sand from dry land into the air.

The resulting wall of dust can be massive, stretching for miles and reaching heights of thousands of feet, even up to 10,000 feet.

The term "haboob" itself comes from the Arabic word "habb," meaning "to blow," describing the main characteristics of these storms.

The haboob that struck Phoenix on August 25, 2025, originated from a complex of thunderstorms that developed north of Tucson, Arizona, in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The cold air outflow from the storm lifted a large amount of sand as it moved across the desert near Cactus Forest, along Highway 79.

The storm came from the southeast and was accompanied by heavy rain, strong winds, and lightning.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport recorded wind gusts of up to 70 mph (112 km/h) as the haboob passed, while the San Tan Valley in southeast Phoenix recorded even more extreme gusts, reaching 93 mph (151 km/h).

Visibility was reportedly reduced to nearly zero miles between 5:35 and 5:51 p.m. local time at the airport.