WASHINGTON POST: A dust storm pushed across Phoenix on Tuesday, blanketing the city in darkness and leaving thousands without power. The 50 to 60 mile wide dust wall, known as a haboob, was pushed by 60 mph winds across the Phoenix area, catching some residents off guard. “The sandstorm … was produced by the downdrafts of a collapsing thunderstorm complex generated by the Southwest monsoon,” the Post’s Jason Somenow explained. “When the downdrafts — made up of rapidly descending air — smashed down on the desert ground, they stirred up large amounts of sand and dust subsequently carried forth by the storm outflow.” MORE
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