Dust Storm Halts Operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport
On Monday evening, a massive dust wall (haboob) followed by severe storms swept across the Phoenix metropolitan area, temporarily suspending flight operations at Sky Harbor International Airport.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that flights were grounded at 5:30 p.m. Operations resumed after about 30 minutes, but significant disruptions to air traffic occurred.
As of 8:00 p.m., the latest situation was as follows:
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3 flights cancelled
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104 flights delayed
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1 flight diverted to another airport
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Average delay: 15 minutes (as of 6:55 p.m.)
The storm not only affected air travel but also disrupted daily life across the city. Thousands of residents were left without power due to strong winds and heavy dust clouds.
This incident once again highlighted how sudden weather events in desert climates can quickly impact flight schedules and cause major disruptions for passengers, airlines, and airport operations.
