View source for Earth:Haboob

{{short description|Type of intense dust storm}}
[[File:Haboob in Big Spring, TX.jpg|thumb|Haboob in Big Spring, Texas]]

A '''haboob'''<ref>{{Britannica|250848}}</ref> ({{lang-ar|هَبوب|lit=blasting/drifting|translit=habūb}}) is a type of intense [[Earth:Dust storm|dust storm]] carried on an atmospheric [[Physics:Gravity current|gravity current]], also known as a [[Earth:Weather front|weather front]].  Haboobs occur regularly in [[Earth:Arid|dry land area]] regions throughout the world.

== Description ==

During [[Physics:Thunderstorm|thunderstorm]] formation, winds move in a direction opposite to the storm's travel, and they move from all directions into the thunderstorm. When the storm collapses and begins to release precipitation, wind directions reverse, gusting outward from the storm and generally gusting the strongest in the direction of the storm's travel.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1002/qj.49706327111|title=Haboobs and instability in the sudan|year=1937|last1=Farquharson|first1=J. S.|journal=Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society|volume=63|issue=271|pages=393–414|bibcode = 1937QJRMS..63..393F }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1002/j.1477-8696.1971.tb07402.x|title=Haboob Structure at Khartoum|year=1971|last1=Lawson|first1=T. J.|journal=Weather|volume=26|issue=3|pages=105–112|bibcode = 1971Wthr...26..105L }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1002/j.1477-8696.1985.tb06877.x|title=A Gravity-Wave Haboob?|year=1985|last1=Membery|first1=D. A.|journal=Weather|volume=40|issue=7|pages=214–221|bibcode = 1985Wthr...40..214M }}</ref>

When this downdraft of cold air, or [[Earth:Downburst|downburst]], reaches the ground, it blows dry, loose silt and clay (collectively, dust) up from the desert, creating a wall of airborne sediment that precedes the storm cloud. This wall of dust can be up to {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and several kilometers in elevation. At their strongest, haboob winds often travel at {{convert|35|–|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, and they may approach with little or no warning. Often rain does not appear at ground level as it evaporates in the hot, dry air (a phenomenon known as virga). The evaporation cools the rushing air even further and accelerates it.  Occasionally, when the rain does persist, it can contain a considerable quantity of dust. Severe cases are called ''mud storms''. Eye and respiratory system protection is advisable for anyone who must be outside during a haboob. Moving to shelter is highly advised during a strong event.

== Occurrence ==
=== Middle East ===
Haboobs have been observed in the Sahara, [[Place:Sahel|Sahel]] (typically Sudan, where they were named and described), as well as across the [[Place:Arabian Peninsula|Arabian Peninsula]], throughout Kuwait, and in the most arid regions of Iraq.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1002/qj.49705121305|title=Haboobs|year=1925|last1=Sutton|first1=L. J.|journal=Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society|volume=51|issue=213|pages=25–30|bibcode = 1925QJRMS..51...25S }}</ref> Haboob [[Earth:Wind|wind]]s in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and Kuwait are frequently created by the collapse of a [[Physics:Thunderstorm|thunderstorm]].

=== North Africa ===
[[File:سفينة صغيرة.jpg|thumb|Small boat in River Nile Sudan]]
African haboobs result from the northward summer shift of the [[Earth:Intertropical Convergence Zone|Intertropical Convergence Zone]] into [[Place:North Africa|North Africa]], bringing moisture from the Gulf of Guinea.

=== Australia ===
Haboobs in Australia may be frequently associated with [[Physics:Cold front|cold front]]s. The deserts of Central Australia, especially near Alice Springs, are particularly prone to haboobs, with sand and debris reaching several kilometers into the sky and leaving up to {{convert|30|cm|ft|0}} of sand in the haboob's path.

=== North America ===

As with haboobs in the Middle East, haboob occurrences in North America are often created by the collapse of a thunderstorm. This is a local or [[Earth:Mesoscale meteorology|mesoscale]] event, and at times of extreme drought they can originate in agricultural regions. Some of the most famous dust storms of the Dust Bowl and similar conditions later were in fact synoptic scale events typically generated by a strong cold frontal passage, with storms on 11&nbsp;November 1911, 9–11&nbsp;May 1934, 14&nbsp;April 1935, and 19&nbsp;February 1954 having been particularly vivid examples.

The arid and semiarid regions of [[Earth:North America|North America]]—in fact, any dry region—may experience haboobs. In North America, the most common terms for these events are either [[Earth:Dust storm|dust storm]] or sandstorm. In the U.S., they frequently occur in the deserts of Arizona, including around the cities of Yuma and Phoenix;<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Idso |first1=S.B. |last2=Ingram |first2=R.S. |last3=Pritchard |first3=J.M. |year=1972 |title=An American Haboob |journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |volume=53 |issue=10 |pages=930–935 |doi=10.1175/1520-0477(1972)053<0930:AAH>2.0.CO;2 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1972BAMS...53..930I}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Idso |first=Carolyn W. |year=1973 |title=Haboobs in Arizona |journal=Weather |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=154–155 |bibcode=1973Wthr...28..154I |doi=10.1002/j.1477-8696.1973.tb02253.x}}</ref> in New Mexico, including Albuquerque, eastern {{wipe|California}}, and {{wipe|Texas}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=W. |last2=Fryrear |first2=D.W. |year=2002 |title=Sedimentary characteristics of a haboob dust storm |journal=Atmospheric Research |volume=61 |issue=1 |pages=75–85 |bibcode=2002AtmRe..61...75C |doi=10.1016/S0169-8095(01)00092-8}}</ref> Per the Washington State Department of Ecology they also occur in the Columbia Basin of Eastern Washington, and can impact on the cities such as Walla Walla<ref name="SeattlePI2013">{{cite news |last1=Ellison |first1=Jake |title=Photos: Major 'haboob' – dust and windstorm – strikes eastern Washington |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/weather/article/Photos-Major-haboob-dust-and-windstorm-4825842.php |access-date=22 June 2023 |work=Seattle PI |date=18 September 2013}}</ref> and Spokane.<ref name="Spokesman2021">{{cite news |last1=Loyd |first1=Nic |last2=Weiford |first2=Linda |title=Weathercatch: Dust-filled drama of past teaches lesson for future |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/aug/12/weathercatch-dust-and-drama-in-the-inland-northwes/ |access-date=22 June 2023 |work=The Spokesman-Review |date=12 August 2021 |ref=Spokesman2021}}</ref> though its noted that improved farming practices has led to a decline in large duststorms and haboobs since the 1990s,<ref name="WaDoEc21">{{cite web|url=https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/March-2021/Central-and-Eastern-Washington |title=Get ready, it's haboob season |last1=Vaughn |first1=Kim |website=Department of Ecology State of Washington |date=1 April 2021 |access-date=22 June 2023 }}</ref> with the largest likelihood of formation between late March through April, corresponding to the beginning of field tilling in Eastern Washington.<ref name="WaDoEc23">{{cite web|url=https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/March-2023/What-to-know-about-dust-storms-in-Washington |title=What you need to know about dust storms in Washington |last1=Vaughn |first1=Kim |website=Department of Ecology State of Washington |date=1 April 2021 |access-date=22 June 2023 }}</ref> In Mexico, they occur in the northern part of the country in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Desert. Most recently, a haboob impacted the cities of Guaymas, San Carlos, and Empalme, [[Place:Sonora|Sonora]] on 20 July 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grupo Healy |first= |date=20 July 2023 |title=Tormenta de arena cubre Guaymas; Protección Civil Sonora emite medidas para la población |language=ES |trans-title=Dust storm covers Guaymas; Protección Civil Sonora issues safety measures |work=El Imparcial |url=https://www.elimparcial.com/sonora/sonora/Tormenta-de-arena-cubre-Guaymas-Proteccion-Civil-Sonora-emite-medidas-para-la-poblacion-20230720-0043.html |access-date=21 July 2023}}</ref>

=== Mars ===
[[Astronomy:Climate of Mars#Dust storms|Global dust storms on Mars]] have been compared to haboobs on Earth.<ref>Boyle, R. (9 March 2017). [https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/everything-about-mars-is-the-worst/ "Everything About Mars Is the Worst"]. FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 9 March 2017.</ref>

=== Titan ===
Dust storms of Titan observed in 2009 and 2010 have been compared to haboobs.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Keane|first=James Tuttle|date=October 2018|title=Haboobs on Titan|journal=Nature Geoscience|language=en|volume=11|issue=10|pages=705|doi=10.1038/s41561-018-0240-3|bibcode=2018NatGe..11..705K|s2cid=135135003|issn=1752-0908|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Rodriguez|first1=S.|last2=Le Mouélic|first2=S.|last3=Barnes|first3=J. W.|last4=Kok|first4=J. F.|last5=Rafkin|first5=S. C. R.|last6=Lorenz|first6=R. D.|last7=Charnay|first7=B.|last8=Radebaugh|first8=J.|last9=Narteau|first9=C.|last10=Cornet|first10=T.|last11=Bourgeois|first11=O.|date=October 2018|title=Observational evidence for active dust storms on Titan at equinox|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-018-0233-2|journal=Nature Geoscience|language=en|volume=11|issue=10|pages=727–732|doi=10.1038/s41561-018-0233-2|bibcode=2018NatGe..11..727R|s2cid=134006536|issn=1752-0908}}</ref> However, the convective storm clouds are composed of [[Astronomy:Climate of Titan#Clouds|liquid methane droplets]], and the dust is likely composed of organic [[Astronomy:Tholin|tholin]]s.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
{{div col}}
* Bora (wind)
* [[Physics:Dry thunderstorm|Dry thunderstorm]]
* [[Astronomy:Dust devil|Dust devil]]
* [[Earth:Intertropical Convergence Zone|Intertropical Convergence Zone]]
* Khamsin
* Mistral (wind)
* [[Earth:Outflow boundary|Outflow boundary]]
* Simoom
* Sirocco
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [http://hikearizona.com/dexcoder.php?PID=2102 Haboob Photos] @ HikeArizona.COM
* [http://www.azdot.gov/CCPartnerships/haboob/index.asp Haboobs, Arizona Department of Transportation.]
* [https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/675gwk5jp7/1 The Bibliography of Aeolian Research]
* [http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wind/Haboob.htm Haboob on Winds of the World]
* [http://vimeo.com/26045314 Time-lapse video of the 5 July 2011 Arizona Haboob]

[[Category:Storm]]
[[Category:Weather hazards]]

{{Sourceattribution|Haboob}}