. . . . not Hoodoo or Whoohoo!
While living on the outskirts of Phoenix I witnessed several extreme dust storms, also known by the Arabic name of haboob! I can’t even say it without an exclamation point in my voice.
They would sweep through the valley between our balcony and the distant mountains giving us a perfect view of these Forces of Nature. Only once did I get a mouthful of grit and have to make a hasty retreat to the apartment.
The view would completely disappear behind the spooky murk.
Moments later as the wind blew through the dust would disappear and the view of distant mountains and our ‘world famous’ fountain rising up to over 500 feet would reappear.
And later, a perfect moonrise over Four Peaks was revealed – two more forces of nature:
This is no longer our ‘corner of the world’ but nature is more genteel in this corner of the world and I wanted to share the noxious dust storm pictures with you.
Which Way Now 101 
I have never witnessed a Haboob… yet! I do have problems with the dust as I am allergic to dust. I live on allergy medicine and it seems to help!
That moon is to die for! Thank You for sharing your forces of nature with us.
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Thank you Nancy. I hope you never get caught in a dust storm then. Take care!
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thanks for the new word _ haboob! and I saw a documentary on dust storms in Dubai – and well, your AZ photos here are great = the before and after and the moonrise – what a gorgeous place to have lived – and cool take on the wpc.
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Thank you v. much! I was lucky to capture it in a still as it came rolling in. I took some video but as it moved so slowly it was like watching paint dry.
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and watching paint dry is not really fun – ha! but this post did remind me of why Okeeffe probably loved it in AZ – so colorful and nice,
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It had its own type of beauty and the light is certainly good. I just never felt at home there.
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that is interesting to hear – about not feeling at home there – and you sure have been so many places so I bet you know when you feel like you are in the right fish bowl (so to speak) – I have not traveled as much as you – but I know when I am someplace that feels not my home –
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James at Gallivance called our situation ‘homefree’ not ‘homeless’. I still feel I was ‘homeless.’ I feel right here in England even though I am American and as well as seeing family and old friends I want my stuff back that is is storage! I don’t think guys have that attachment.
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ooo I like the homefree – and I like gallivance blog too – just recently checking them out… anyhow, I bet there are pros/cons of having things in storage – and also agree that we gals are more attached
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Too true.
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An interesting take on the prompt. The dust storm seems scary. Though the last picture of the moon looks lovely.
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Most interesting and a great post for the challenge. You’ve seen so many interesting things and been so many places. I think you could probably never take another picture and still supply photos for challenges for years to come!
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Well if I didn’t have an appropriate picture I would just bend the rules!
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Hooray! Long live the rule benders!
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That’s always been me. Have to say it’s gotten me in trouble once or twice.
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Same here, Carol, though, I’m going to venture a guess and say probably not nearly so often as you! LOL!
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Maybe. Maybe not!
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What an odd name for this phenomenon, but I suppose if I were Arabic, I wouldn’t think it strange. I definitely wouldn’t like to live in a place that had dust storms. I have enough dusting to do already. Your moon images are beautiful.
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Thank you, Sylvia. We rarely saw sunsets the way our apartment was positioned but we has some spectacular sunrises and moonrises. Is that a word? Moonrises?
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Great photos for the prompt Carol. When we lived in Phx many years ago these dust storms where not named. As they became more prevalent I began to hear this name for them.
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I think it’s an odd name really. But Dust Storm as a title wasn’t as eyecatching. I wonder why they are more prevalent now?
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Not sure why they are more prevalent, although weather seems to be more dramatic all over the world…global warming perhaps?
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Perhaps . .
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That wall of dust looks down right frightening. Did the apartment need to be shoveled out after? Hopefully good seals on the windows!
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The dust storms rarely came through our apartment complex as we were up on a ridge but there was always dirt and dust in the air, on the furniture, on our black truck. Our neighbor had respiratory problems and had to stay indoors when it was windy. I guess we were lucky not to suffer from it. It seemed a minor problem compared to the rest of the country’s weather and your winters in Canada but it could be deadly.
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I can imagine it would be a respiratory nightmare! Speaking of Canada’s weather it’s snowing this morning. Can you say enough already? 🙂
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ENOUGH ALREADY! Doesn’t Canada know it’s May?
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Thank goodness we didn’t expereince any dust storms. I just can’t imagine.
Love, love those moon rising photos:)
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I’d been in Scotsdale just as one was cranking up but got home and indoors before it blew through. It’s no fun to be in one with zero visibility.
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And the layer of dirt left in it’s wake is no joy to deal with. Perfect photos for the prompt 🙂
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It wasn’t too bad for us but it did leave a brown mess everywhere.
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Wow, the haboob does not lool like fun…I’ll stick with snow storms – lol. The moon rise over the mountains is beautiful, though. Cheers
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We were able to watch it without being in it fortunately. Cheers to you!
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Love the first image! How surreal.
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Very surreal. We’d never seen anything like it before.
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Wow, that moon pic is just fabulous. I’ve heard the word haboob before, way back in school geography days – we must’ve been very cutting edge!!
A writing friend of mine is due in America very soon on a “storm chasing” holiday. I can’t wait to read her blog when she returns.
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They are having bad tornadoes in the midwest and hurricane season is coming up. I hope she is careful. We tended to run away from storms.
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She is a bit mad. It’s an organised trip, apparently, but I’ll warn her to take care and point her in the direction of your pictures.
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We’ve done some fairly mad things but now I’d rather go to the beach or sit in a French café. To each their own.
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I learnt that wod recently from a documentary…hoe thrilling that I come across your pic soon after.
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It was very serendipitous for you! Thanks for your visit today.
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Amazing view, but not sure it is all pleasure
when the “dust wave” arrives – excellent captured… 🙂
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Not pleasant to be caught up in it. Breathing the dust and driving could be lethal. We were distant spectators.
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Fascinating post, photos and comments. I have never experienced anything like it but here in Cornwall a storm is called a Hoolie which your post reminded me of. 🙂
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Like . . it blew a hoolie?
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Exactly! We have been having serious hoolies recently , gusting to 30mph and bringing horizontal rain.
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Stay safe!
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Thank you! No sailing this week, last or probably next!
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Thank goodness for that!
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Mother Nature never ceases to amaze.
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It was a bizarre sight – like something out of a horror film. And then it blew away.
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My son nearly died of Valley Fever (contracted at a solar installation construction site near Barstow, CA). Good to stay out of the dust storms! I don’t know how people in the Middle East and Northern Africa can breathe when there’s no place to go (like an apartment where you can close the door on it).
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I didn’t know that Barb! How frightening. I knew it could have serious consequences but except for the one time we were able to watch it from afar. Did he make a full recovery?
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No, he will have lifetime lung damage. But he’s learning to live with it and is back to work after a year of worker’s comp.
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That’s terrible Barb. I’m so sorry. The dust storms never really affected us health-wise in Fountain Hills. I hope he gets on well at work now he’s back.
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Thanks Carol, his recovery was made harder by being a Type 1 diabetic. He struggles.
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It’s good that you are on the West coast now to be nearby.
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Fantastic photos – especially the one with the big white clouds.
I think I would be a little freaked out if I saw an approaching dust storm. My sinuses are starting to twitch at the thought … although that might just be the clouds of pollen that are still in the air here.
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I don’t know how the dust would affect your sinuses but it can cause valley fever which was a big problem in the Phoenix area.
As for ‘freaking out,’ morbid fascination kept me on the balcony until the dust got in my eyes and mouth. It’s a strange phenomenon as there is no noise. The dust just rolls in, obliterates everything and then rolls away again.
You can stop twitching now.
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You are so informative – always tossing something new my way … this time it’s valley fever. Of course I had to look it up. There just seem to be no end to the hazards we are constantly faced with!!
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Well, this is a real good answer to the challenge.
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Thanks so much! I pondered on Niagara and the Grand Canyon and several other ‘Forces of Nature’ but settled on the haboob!
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