After a very slow start to this year’s monsoon season, metro Phoenix has finally seen some storms this week — including a big one on Tuesday night. But was it a haboob? Or a monsoon? A dust storm? And what does it all mean for this very dry summer?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these storms can whip up walls of dust as high as 10,000 feet.

A large-scale dust storm known as a “haboob” struck Phoenix, Arizona, on August 25, causing power outages, flight disruptions, and low visibility for drivers.

The haboob was followed by severe thunderstorms that ripped through Phoenix, leaving behind downed trees, wind damage and widespread power outages.

The slow-moving cloud — known as a haboob — hit parts of Phoenix and Arizona City, 60 miles to the southeast, late Monday afternoon, at one point leaving 15,000 energy customers in the dark. The number still without power Tuesday morning was more than 5,000, according to Poweroutage.us, mostly in Maricopa County.

Stunning images show expansive plumes descending on the Phoenix metro area and the city's international airport.

The National Weather Service of Phoenix has issued a dust storm warning for a significant southern portion of the Valley and the city of Maricopa. It expires at 5:45 p.m.

Haboob is an Arabic word for a violent dust storm or sandstorm. Haboobs form when cold downdrafts from thunderstorms slam into the hot desert floor, spreading out in all directions. A looming haboob is often the first visible sign that a monsoon storm is approaching.

Skies can turn from clear blue to pitch black as a haboob rolls in. Here’s how this wall of dust forms, and what health experts say is lurking within.

A massive wall of dust known as a haboob swept through Phoenix, Arizona, on Monday, disrupting flights, cutting power to thousands, and raising questions about the nature and risks of such storms. The phenomenon,

A large haboob, a type of dust storm, hit Maricopa County on Monday, August 25, bringing heavy rain, wind, and lightning. The storm caused power outages and flight delays at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, with wind gusts reaching 70 mph and rainfall totaling 0.29 inches.