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Haboob Hits the Phoenix Area Again

     ha·boob

[huh-boob] 
noun
a thick dust storm or sandstorm that blows in the deserts of North Africa and Arabia or on the plains of India. 

 

Origin:
1895–1900;  < Arabic habūb  a strong wind

Encyclopedia

strong wind that occurs along the southern edges of the Sahara in The Sudan and is associated with large sandstorms and dust storms and may be accompanied by thunder storms.  It usually last about three hours, is most common during the summer, and may blow from any direction.  A haboob may transport huge quantities of sand or dust, which move as a dense wall that can reach a height of 900 metres (about 3,000 feet). The term haboob is taken from the Arabic word habb meaning wind. 

     What part of the descriptions sound like Arizona?  I really don't understand the locations mentioned but the description is sure right on.  This year seems to be a record year for these storms that we use to just call 'dust storms', now they have a proper name - Haboob.  No matter what you call them, they can be very dangerous, especially if you are driving on a surface street or the freeway. 

 

     Here's a few safty tips for anyone driving through any type of storm, weather it be rain, smoke or dust.

Quick Safety Tips:

• Avoid driving into or through a dust storm.  
• Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway -- do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.
• If you encounter a dust storm, check traffic immediately around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
• Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane; look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
• Stop the vehicle in a position ensuring it is a safe distance from the main roadway and away from where other vehicles may travel.
• Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers.
• Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
• Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.
• Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially aware of changing weather conditions and travel at reduced speeds.
• A driver's alertness and safe driving ability is still the number one factor to prevent crashes.

When returning to the pavement, be aware that the road may be slippery and in some cases, pavement markings may be obscured by sand and dust blown on the road. Rain frequently accompanies dust storms and will cause slippery conditions.

Drive carefully. 

If you don't understand the importance of getting off the road and out of the storm, just watch this one more video - no words can explain this experience as well as this vid

Monsoon and Kids

 mon·soon

noun /mänˈso͞on/  /ˈmänˌso͞on/ 
monsoons, plural

A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing rain (the wet monsoon), or from the northeast between October and April (the dry monsoon)
The rainy season accompanying the wet monsoon

     The official monsoon season in Arizona started a couple days ago.  And right on que, we had a nice storm in many parts of Arizona.  Now this is not the monsoon was saw, it is just a nice little storm to hold us over until the real thing hits.

     Do you ever wonder exactly what we should tell our kids about storm safty?  What info do they need to know and what is just too much for them?  I found a basic and brief article about this subject, from Alyssa Ast that I thought I would share.

Monsoon Season Safety for Kids

Teach Kids to Stay Safe During a Monsoon Storm

     Monsoon season is a spectacular event of nature. A simple shift in the wind during high temperatures brings a rapid change in weather that's amazing to watch. However, as spectacular as monsoons are, they are also very dangerous. During the Summer months of monsoon season children are often outside enjoying the great weather. They can easily be caught off guard if they don't pay attention to the warning signs that a storm is coming. As a parent there are important monsoon safety tips every child living in a monsoon area needs to be aware of for their own safety.

Before the Storm

     There's no denying a monsoon storm is coming when you hear the ear splitting rumble of thunder. Children need to understand not to wait to find shelter when they hear thunder. They need to find shelter well before the thunder because the rapid rain waters will begin all to quickly, potentially causing severe flooding.

     Important monsoon season safety tips all desert children need to be aware of includes scanning the sky before heading outside. The cumulonimbus clouds responsible for the monsoon rains are hard to mistake for anything else. Children should look for these clouds before going outside. Even if the clouds are in the distance, once the wind starts they quickly move in. If clouds are in sight, it's best to stay indoors.

      Another sign a monsoon storm's on its way is a sudden change in the wind. Often, when a monsoon storm is about to hit, the wind will change directions and quickly intensify. Temperatures drop rapidly at this point. Children need to pay attention for changes in the wind. If they sense a change, they need to head indoors immediately.

If a child has missed these two warning signs, then there are two more things they need to know when they have been outside too long and the storm is quickly approaching. Thunder and lightening are the final stage of the storm before the rain starts to fall. Even if the thunder and lightening are in the distance, kids need to get indoors.

During the Storm

     Children also need to know what do to during a monsoon storm. When indoors all electrical equipment should be unplugged. Children should know to never use the phone during a storm unless it's an emergency. During a monsoon storm it's important to move away from all electrical equipment and head to an area in the home away from the doors and windows.

     If your child happens to be caught outside during a monsoon storm it's vital they know important survival tips. No matter how shallow rain water may appear, they must never attempt to cross flooded areas. Flash flooding often occurs and it's important they head to higher ground.

     If there's lightening, children should stay away from electrical lines and metal objects because they attract lightening. If they can not find any shelter they shouldn't stand near a tree or lie on the ground. If they are with friends, they shouldn't stand next to each other or in standing water.

     If your child's caught outside during a lightening storm, they need to know the lightening position. The lightening position is a crouching position similar to a baseball catchers position. If no shelter is available, they need to find a safe spot and assume this position.