A massive dust storm, known as a “haboob,” engulfed regions of New Mexico and Texas on Monday morning, leading to highway closures and confining nearly 900,000 residents within a potentially hazardous cloud.
“A haboob is a type of intense dust storm carried by the wind of a weather front. Haboobs occur regularly in dry land area regions throughout the world. This one was caused by a cold front pushing through NM,” wrote the National Weather Service – El Paso region.
The storm, spanning several miles in width and towering thousands of feet high, advanced along the southern border propelled by strong winds that lifted desert dust, resulting in near-zero visibility conditions, as reported by the National Weather Service.
The agency issued blowing dust advisories for counties in southern New Mexico and Texas, effective until at least Monday night, cautioning about wind gusts reaching up to 80 miles per hour in certain areas.
Officials responded by closing sections of Interstates 10 and 25, among other highways. Visibility at El Paso International Airport diminished to just a quarter-mile, as noted by CBS 4 meteorologist Evan O’Reagan, who shared videos on social media depicting dense walls of dust captured by affected motorists.
Federal authorities also issued red flag fire warnings for counties in the haboob’s trajectory, given that strong winds and low humidity rendered the desert landscape highly susceptible to wildfires.
The lingering dust prompted officials in Albuquerque to declare an emergency health alert, advising individuals with respiratory issues to remain indoors.
Haboobs, while capable of occurring throughout the United States, are most prevalent in the Southwest. They pose significant risks to individuals with respiratory conditions and to drivers, who may find themselves unable to evade the storm upon its sudden appearance on the horizon.
The National Weather Service warns that “blinding, choking dust can quickly reduce visibility, causing accidents that may involve chain collisions, creating massive pileups.”
Experts recommend that drivers encountering a haboob should pull off the road, turn off their vehicle lights, and wait for the storm rather than attempting to drive through it.