CNN
—
A fast-moving dust storm shrouded southwestern New Mexico and parts of northern Mexico in darkness Monday morning, prompting an emergency alert for drivers to “shelter in place” as officials tried to get cars off the interstate.
The dust storm, known meteorologically as a haboob, swept across Deming and Doña Ana counties in New Mexico at a breakneck pace with near-zero visibility and winds of 45 mph, the National Weather Service warned. State officials closed parts of Interstates 10 and 25 as well as US Highway 70 because of the “dangerous, life-threatening” travel conditions.
The haboob grew as it whipped east across the dry, dusty landscape. High wind warnings were in effect Monday in the Southwest alongside low humidity, increasing the threat of wildfire.
NOAA weather satellites captured the haboob’s size and movement from space, seen below highlighted in yellow with NOAA’s dust product, which detects dust and sand-sized particles in the air and distinguishes them from clouds.
A haboob is an extreme type of dust storm that persists for multiple hours. It’s essentially a wall of dust and debris that can grow up to 5,000 feet tall as it’s blown forward by strong winds.
You can see the haboob’s wall of dust coming from a distance but by the time it reaches you, it’s too late to seek shelter — especially if you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle. It’s nearly impossible to see more than a few feet in front of you in the worst of these storms as the dust chokes out light.
Drivers should pull as far off the road as possible when they encounter such a storm, the National Weather Service says. It also recommends engaging the parking or hill brake and turning off all lights — including making sure the driver’s foot is off the brake so the brake light is not illuminated — to avoid confusing any vehicles approaching from behind.
Dust storms are most common in dry, desert areas of the Southwest. A massive haboob rolled through parts of California last November.
Watch massive dust storm sweep through central California
