YouTube user ReyReyPrime
Well, if you have not already seen footage of the massive dust storm that occurred in Texas yesterday, here is a great video that shows just what it is like to be in the path of a haboob.
"Ha-WHAT?!" is the exact statement I heard from a fellow employee this morning, and I am sure he is not the first to ask this. A haboob is an Arabic term for an intense dust storm or strong wind. Haboobs are observed throughout the extremely dry regions of the world. Most haboobs are created from the collapse of a thunderstorm but some are associated with cold fronts.
NWS Lubbock, TX
NWS Lubbock, TX (click to animate)
Yesterday, in Lubbock's case, the haboob was created from a strong cold front that pushed through Texas. As we know and have seen in the news, Texas has been extremely dry and hot all summer. When strong cold fronts such as the one in Texas move through, they tend to push that hot and dry air out. When this happens, dust is lifted from the ground and is carried with the strong winds that are created from this front. This, in turn, creates a haboob.
This may be hard to visualize since there are so many weather terms, so think of it this way; If you have ever been to the ocean, you will notice that waves come crashing into the coast. When you look closely, you will see that as those waves come closer to the coast, sand/sediment is picked up from the bottom and moved forward with those waves onto the shore. This is the same occurrence for dust storms. Just think of the waves as as the dust storms and and the sand/sediment as dust.
This may be hard to visualize since there are so many weather terms, so think of it this way; If you have ever been to the ocean, you will notice that waves come crashing into the coast. When you look closely, you will see that as those waves come closer to the coast, sand/sediment is picked up from the bottom and moved forward with those waves onto the shore. This is the same occurrence for dust storms. Just think of the waves as as the dust storms and and the sand/sediment as dust.
Ocean vs. Haboob
Winds topped out at 75 miles per hour with this storm. The National Weather Service in Lubbock received many reports of structure damage, power outages, and even wildfires set from these strong winds.
NWS Lubbock, TX via Emily Davenport
Much of southern Texas is currently under a Red Flag Warning. This means that extreme fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will soon. The combination of dry conditions, low humidity, and strong winds create these fire weather conditions.
~Meteorologist Heather Brinkmann
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