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Monsoon Haboob Slams Phoenix, Cuts Power and Disrupts Flights

Crews begin repairs after a dust wall with thunderstorms battered Phoenix.

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A giant dust storm approaches the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushes the dust into the air, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Phoenix.
A haboob comes into Chandler, Ariz. on August 24, 2025.
The dust storm seen approaching the Phoenix metro area on Monday.

Overview

  • The National Weather Service issued dust storm, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings as a massive wall of dust swept into Maricopa County, collapsing visibility on I-10 and I-17 and prompting the ADOT 'Pull Aside, Stay Alive' guidance.
  • Power outages peaked in the tens of thousands across Arizona, concentrated in the Phoenix area, with utilities reporting restorations underway after widespread wind damage.
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor imposed a temporary ground stop before resuming operations with delays of roughly 15 to 30 minutes, while crews addressed leaks and other damage inside terminals.
  • Severe thunderstorms trailed the dust storm, toppling trees and flooding roadways; wind gusts were reported up to about 70 mph with damage at the airport, including a connector bridge reported shredded.
  • Forecasters called the pattern typical of the monsoon's hit‑and‑miss nature and kept a chance of additional storms Tuesday before a trend toward drier conditions later in the week.