Phoenix hit by two Category 5 haboob dust storms in three days

Two haboob dust storms struck the Phoenix area within three days of each other in early August 2026. Both were classified as Category 5 events on the dust storm severity scale, which researchers at Arizona State University developed using data from 2010 onwards. The storms reduced visibility to half a mile (0.8 kilometers) and reached wind speeds of about 50 mph (80 kph).

National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Salerno said the storms occurred later at night, resulting in less traffic and no reports of significant impacts. Randall Cerveny, a professor at Arizona State University, told the Associated Press that the back-to-back Category 5 storms were unprecedented in the region’s records. Only six such storms have been recorded in the past 16 years.

Cerveny noted that the Phoenix region has been drier than normal, which may have contributed to the intensity of the storms. Scientists have previously stated that human-caused climate change increases the likelihood of severe drought and heavier storms, which could lead to more intense dust storms in the future.

What the coverage left out

None of the right-rated digests mentioned the Category 5 classification of the storms or the specific wind speeds and visibility reduction. The CT Insider digest also omitted the link between the storms and human-caused climate change, as well as the quotes from National Weather Service and Arizona State University researchers.