Massive Haboob Sweeps Phoenix Area, Shuts Down Sky Harbor Operations

Phoenix, AZ (August 26, 2025) - A towering wall of dust, locally known as a haboob, rolled into the Phoenix metropolitan area Tuesday evening, forcing highway closures, triggering airport ground stops and prompting urgent safety warnings across Maricopa and Pinal counties.

The outflow boundary from intense monsoon thunderstorms kicked up a massive dust storm near Eloy and Arizona City shortly before 5:00 p.m., advancing northward at speeds exceeding 30 mph and reducing visibility to near zero in seconds. Observers likened the scene to nighttime as Queen Creek, Chandler and portions of Pinal County were engulfed by the churning cloud of dust.

At 5:00 p.m., the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a dust storm warning for Interstate 10 between Avondale and Goodyear and along I-17, US 60 and adjacent Valley roads from Phoenix to Mesa. Fifteen minutes later, as the wall of dust neared Queen Creek, a separate Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Queen Creek and Chandler Heights until 6:00 p.m. MST.

Shortly thereafter, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport implemented a ground stop, halting all departures and arrivals until 6:30 p.m. MST due to dangerously low visibility and severe turbulence in the terminal area. Simultaneously, the Arizona Department of Transportation and local law enforcement deployed “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” safety protocols, advising motorists to exit roadways, turn off lights and remain stationary until conditions improved.

City and state agencies reported lightning-induced power outages affecting thousands of residents in western Maricopa County, though no serious injuries or major traffic accidents were immediately confirmed. Flash flood warnings accompanied the dust storm farther south, where monsoon rains dumped up to two inches over parts of southeast California and southwest Arizona earlier in the afternoon.

By 7:00 p.m., the haboob had largely passed the Valley’s core but lingered over outlying eastern suburbs, leaving behind settled dust on roadways and a stark reminder of Arizona’s volatile monsoon season. Motorists were urged to exercise caution on routes still coated in silt and to heed any subsequent NWS advisories.