The northern part of the state of Chihuahua experienced a sandstorm, or haboob, this Saturday, a phenomenon typical of the African desert. Authorities closed the Pan-American Highway due to low or no visibility.
The haboob is an intense sand/dust storm that occurs between Ciudad Juárez and Ahumada, but continues its path to the south of the state, explained Alonso Méndez Torres.
For this reason, he warned residents of the capital of Chihuahua and neighboring municipalities to exercise extreme caution.
Alonso Méndez, administrator of “Chihuahua Tiempo Severo,” a website specializing in hydrometeorological, seismological, space weather, and environmental information, shared data from the U.S. National Weather Service in El Paso, Texas, which warns:
“If you have friends or family heading south on Highway 45 toward Chihuahua for the weekend—and many of you are—it may be worth checking them today. A massive haboob (“wall of dust”) dust storm is pushing south of Ahumada toward the El Sueco rest area at about 35 mph. This is about 80 miles (128 km) north of the northern edge of Chihuahua City.”
Méndez Torres added that “visibility will likely drop from “unlimited” to ZERO very quickly. You will also notice a more typical dust column extending toward El Sueco from Laguna de Babícora. It is a very good visual demonstration of the two types of dust storms in our region: the sharper haboobs (walls of dust that quickly knock you down) and dust plumes (which flow downwind from dust sources and gradually worsen).”
The State Civil Protection Coordination (CEPC) reported that the zero visibility generated by a sandstorm in the Ahumada municipality region led to the closure of the Pan-American Highway in both directions by National Guard authorities this afternoon.
The CEPC said that traffic is being interrupted in the section between kilometers 217 and 273, and therefore the population planning to travel through this area is asked to postpone their trip.
It was also announced that the sandstorm is heading toward the south-central region of the state, which could cause strong winds and low visibility.
Authorities urged drivers to drive with caution on affected roads. They also recommended that citizens report any unusual situation or incident to emergency authorities to expedite rescue and assistance processes, if necessary.
Alonso Méndez stated that the storm’s spread to municipalities in the state’s center and south is not ruled out, as it will continue to advance over the next few hours.
What is a haboob and what causes it?
Haboob is a word of Arabic origin meaning “strong wind.” It occurs mainly along the southern edges of the Sahara in Sudan. It is associated with large sand and dust storms and can be accompanied by thunderstorms. It usually lasts about three hours, is more common during the summer, and can blow from any direction.
This wind typically originates in the north during the winter months and in the south, southeast, and east in the summer.
A haboob can carry large amounts of sand or dust, which move in a dense wall that can reach a height of 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet).
Source: elfinanciero
