A new word is quickly gaining traction online, and boy is it fun to say: haboob. Videos of an incredible dust and sand storm, known as a haboob, in Phoenix, Ariz. are popping up all over the place, and people are quickly becoming aware of this curious phenomenon.

"A haboob is defined as a 'violent dust storm or sand storm,' and in this case it brought 60 mph winds to the Phoenix area. Reports from the area also stated that visibility dropped to just a quarter of a mile as the dust cloud swept through the city," reports the Christian Post.

Videos of a haboob in Phoenix Monday night show just how massive such a storm can be, as an otherwise peaceful sky can literally be engulfed in dust and sand in a matter of minutes. For Phoenix, the event is an all-too-common occurrence.

"The Phoenix haboob was the second dust storm to hit the city in the last six weeks. The haboob appeared following a period of heavy rainfall, with swaths of Arizona under flash flood watch on Monday. Arizona is in the midst of monsoon season, a period beginning in June and ending in September. Monsoon season is the time when haboobs generally occur in Arizona," says an article by isciencetimes.com.

The word 'haboob' comes from the Arabic word for 'wind,' and is a common phenomenon in the Middle East and southern Sahara. Arizona is the only place in North America that is capable of forming a haboob.

"[A haboob forms] when air is forced down and pushed forward by the front of a traveling thunderstorm cell, it drags with it dust and debris. Winds of speeds up to 60 mph can stir up dust and sand and create a blowing wall as high as 10,000 feet. Haboobs usually last only 10 to 30 minutes, but on rare occasions can last longer and create hazardous conditions for ground transportation systems, air traffic and motorists," notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Take a look at the video above for a safe view of what staring down a haboob looks like. Have any personal experience in dealing with these sand storms? Comment below and tell us what it's like to be hit by one.