A violent dust storm or windstorm that occurs in desert or semi-desert regions, particularly in North Africa and the Middle East.
From Arabic habūb 'blowing furiously,' related to the root of 'blow' or 'wind.' The term entered English from Arabic-speaking regions where these storms are common and dangerous.
A haboob can turn day into darkness in minutes and travels at 60+ mph—Phoenix, Arizona gets them too, and photos of these walls of dust look so alien that they went viral on social media.
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