There are some weather events that look truly breathtaking in photos—not so much in person. In fact, the sometimes turbulent nature of our planet’s weather can prove fatal for some. Thankfully, there are tried and tested methods to safeguard lives when local weather goes crazy. But with the weather event under consideration today, there may be a lot of dusting, vaccuming, and car washing to do once it’s over. It’s a haboob.
Meaning: a violent storm carrying huge amounts of dust and sand ahead of a weather front, especially in the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, and Eastern Arabia.
Origin: from the Arabic word هَبوب (habūb), meaning “blasting, drifting”, or “violent storm”.
Example: “The haboob reached the isolated village before sundown.”
I thought it was appropriate to feature this word while I experience an extremely hot and dry Australian summer. Never before have I endured so many dust storms in such a short time. It makes me think about those of you who may live where dust storms are a seasonal norm. I feel your pain. I suppose it’s just another reason to stay indoors reading a good book.