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Phoenix, Arizona was enveloped by a massive dust cloud that obscured the skies and disrupted power for thousands as a significant monsoon struck the area on Monday night.
The dusty conditions began around 4pm near Interstate-10 in Casa Grande and Eloy, south of Phoenix, according to the National Weather Service.
But the storms quickly made their way north, prompting dust storm warnings just before 5pm that remained in effect until 7pm.
Shocking time-lapse videos showed a wall of dust rolling through the Arizona valley, completely overtaking neighborhoods.
On the ground, residents saw large clouds moving in, bringing some severe thunderstorms with it.
At Arizona State University, the football stadium went completely dark, video posted by the college showed.
In Maricopa County, over 35,000 residents and businesses lost power due to the severe storm, as reported by PowerOutage.us, a site that tracks power outages across the U.S.
The storm also led to a temporary halt of operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The winds were so intense that, according to ABC 15, the roof was damaged in Terminal 4.
A giant dust storm approached the Phoenix metro area as a monsoon storm pushed dust into the air Monday night
The storm caused the skies to darken as the Arizona Department of Transportation warned the public to stay off the highways
The tempest caused a temporary ground stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Confirmed by an airport representative to AZ Family, the operations were impacted as teams were busy evaluating the damage and clearing water that had seeped into passenger areas.
In the meantime, the airport was reporting ongoing delays.
In the Ahwatukee Foothills region, fierce winds toppled a road sign, and in Chandler, pictures depicted a tree crashing onto a house.
Besides the dust storms, the area faced additional challenges, with the National Weather Service issuing a severe thunderstorm alert for Queen Creek, Chandler, Gilbert, Higley, Guadalupe, Gila Crossing, and Laveen.
Flash flood warnings were also issued for multiple parts of western Arizona, near the border with California.
The Sky Harbor International Airport reported ongoing delays Monday night
On the ground, residents saw large clouds moving in, bringing some severe thunderstorms with it
The dust storm in Phoenix caused the Arizona State University football stadium to go dark
As the storms continue, the Arizona Department of Transportation advised motorists to avoid driving in the dust storms – and said it is best to get off the highways as safely as possible.
Drivers who are unable to exit the highway before the storm hits should pull to the side and turn off their lights, the Department of Transportation advised.
Videos posted online showed the cloud of dust rolling into the city
The storm brought darkened skies and severe rain storms to the area
Dust storm warnings came just before 5pm that remained in effect until 7pm
Conditions in the desert city are expected to improve in the coming days with a shift to a westerly flow later in the week bringing drier air and clearing out the chances of thunderstorms after Wednesday, National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Frieders told AZ Central.
The monsoonal moisture could also bring temperatures down, hovering in the low 100s or even the high 90s through the week.
