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Giant dust storm returns to Phoenix on July 18

Residents of Phoenix, Arizona saw the return of a giant dust storm on July 18, though not as large as the one that plagued the area on July 5, the Associated Press reports.

Several thousand residents of Glendale, Phoenix and Mesa lost power, according ABC news. Flight delays ensued, but no injuries were reported from the dust storm, which limited visibility to less than one-quarter mile in some places.

The moving wall of dust towered over 3,000 feet high and came with winds that gusted up to 40 miles per hour.

Like the huge dust storm in Phoenix on July 5, 2011, the July 18 dust storm started with rapidly descending air moving outward from area thunderstorms, which combined with a lot of available dust.

Cases of Valley Fever are expected to spike because of the dust storms, according to John Galgiani of the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Valley fever is caused by inhalation of wind-borne mold spores, which can cause rashes and flu-like symptoms that show one to three weeks after exposure. The Mayo Clinic advises that mild cases of Valley Fever go away on their own, but extreme cases can lead to complications and pneumonia.

Ken Waters: Why the July 5 Arizona dust storm was so huge

Driving into the Phoenix dust storm

Posted 
July 19, 2011
 in 
Earth

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