Final Stand © Tina Wright

Photographer name: Tina Wright

From: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Age: 50

Photo title: Final Stand 

Photo location: Arizona, United States

Date photo taken: July 9, 2018

Story behind the photo:  This was one of the top two largest haboobs (dust storms) ever recorded in the state of Arizona. At the point of this photo it was fully mature, towering over a mile high with winds in excess of 80 miles per hour. The sun was setting, giving the dust wall it's deep pink hue. It was a truly incredible sight to see!

Weather caption: Dust storms, or haboobs, are the result of a microburst – an intense column of sinking air within a thunderstorm, which as it hits the ground spreads out in all directions and carries dust particles at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.  The lofted particles can reach heights of 5000 ft and can extend up to 100 miles wide. As long as there is enough dry, exposed land with loose sediment, dust storms can happen anywhere and are capable of reducing visibility to near zero in a matter of seconds. In Arizona, US, dust storms are most common in the early part of the monsoon and near agricultural areas. This image captures an Arizona dust storm that raged across the state for over 200 miles in 2018, reaching its maximum height and density just in time to be illuminated by a stunning sunset.

Technical details:

Camera                      NIKON D850

Lens model               Tokina AT-X 16-28 F2.8 PRO FX

Shutter speed           1/15

Aperture                     f/4.5

Focal length              16 mm

35mm equivalent      16 mm

ISO                             400