At the end of August, a wall of dust rolled into Phoenix.

Although haboobs aren't unusual in my hometown, this one was particularly imposing, stretching hundreds of feet high and knocking out power for tens of thousands of people, according to The Associated Press. The dramatic photos drew attention around the country, with even the New York Times reporting on the phenomena after flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were delayed during the period of intense weather.

My mom sent me a picture of the cloud of dust looming over my parents' backyard.

"The sky went dark right after this photo was taken," she added.

Haboobs are dense walls of dust that are more intense than the typical dust storm. Regular dust storms have nebulous shapes — essentially, they're just dust kic

See Full Page