haboob
hah-BOOB
A violent dust storm or sandstorm driven by strong winds, most commonly in the Sudan and the Sahel but also occurring in the American Southwest. A haboob can form a wall of dust thousands of feet high, advancing across the landscape like a living thing.
Etymology
Arabic habb, meaning "wind" or "to blow." The word entered English through Sudanese usage and is now used by meteorologists worldwide, including for the dramatic dust storms that occasionally engulf Phoenix, Arizona.
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