TOTALLY GEEKED!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Some Texans going nuts again over weather word 'haboob'
FNW


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 18704
Date:
Some Texans going nuts again over weather word 'haboob'
Permalink  
 


Some Texans going nuts again over weather word 'haboob'

 

A certain type of Texan is freaking out about haboobs again. Summer must be here.

The freakout is not caused by the arrival of the massive dust clouds. Instead, each year a furor seems to arise about the meteorological term’s Arabic origins.

The National Weather Service in Lubbock warned on Facebook of a haboob approaching the local airport. A few commenters — who seemed to harbor a touch of xenophobia — didn’t like the use of the Arabic-borne word

Sharla Southerland Hamil wrote: “In over 50 yrs of my life that had been a sand storm. We live in Texas which is in the US not the middle east.”

Brenda Daffern didn’t hold back in her attack on the NWS: “In Texas, nimrod, this is called a sandstorm. We've had them for years! If you would like to move to the Middle East you can call this a haboob. While you reside here, call it a sandstorm. We Texans will appreciate you.”

Katie Smith’s comment took on a more conspiratorial tone:

“Do we care if the rest of the world laughs at a Texan???? It has been a sandstorm all of my life and only became a Haboob in the last 8 years!!”

In a way, Smith’s point of view is easy to understand. The word seemed to explode into our collective consciousness in the past decade, thanks certainly in part to the rise of the Internet and the age of Internet outrage.

But “haboob,” as meteorologist Dan Satterfield pointed out, has been around for some time. Satterfield referred to a 1925 paper in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society called "Haboobs."

Satterfield brought this up in 2014 – another time a Lubbock forecaster’s use of the word “haboob” set off viewers. The New York Time wrote about an outcry in Arizona, where one resident wrote the local Phoenix paper to say: “I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling the kind of storm a haboob. How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?”

Many of our favorite weather terms (and much of English in general) come from other languages. The Washington Post helpfully points to El Niño, tornado and tsunami as examples.

After all that back-and-forth over the last several years, most people seem to have a handle on the use of the term “haboob” as well. On the Lubbock NWS Facebook page, a Texas woman named Teresa Mayfield Jackson explains the differencebetween a “haboob” (a quick moving “wall of dirt”) and a “dust storm” (a longer lasting swirling bowl of dust).

It’s the most liked comment on the page.



__________________

#it's5o'clocksomewhere

FNW


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 18704
Date:
Permalink  
 

My favorite was "It has been a sandstorm all of my life and only became a Haboob in the last 8 years."



__________________

#it's5o'clocksomewhere



Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Status: Offline
Posts: 13089
Date:
Permalink  
 

It figures that it happened in Lubbock.

And, that's all I'm going to say about that!wink



__________________

Ohioan by birth, Texan by choice!

FNW


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 18704
Date:
Permalink  
 

Is Lubbock predominately muslim?

__________________

#it's5o'clocksomewhere



Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Status: Offline
Posts: 13089
Date:
Permalink  
 

FNW wrote:

Is Lubbock predominately muslim?


No, FNW.

Lubbock, is the armpit of Texas. (IMHO)

I would only send one of my children to college there, as punishment. 

I would move back to Ohio in a nano second, before I'd move to Lubbock.wink



__________________

Ohioan by birth, Texan by choice!



My dog name is, Sasha!

Status: Offline
Posts: 5883
Date:
Permalink  
 

I didn't realize this would be an Anti-Muslim thing. I just figured it was because little kids would giggle and say "he said B00B!" and then spend the rest of the day walking around going "boobooboobooboob" and giggling.

__________________

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not today, Satan.  Not today.



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

Fort Worth Mom wrote:
FNW wrote:

Is Lubbock predominately muslim?


No, FNW.

Lubbock, is the armpit of Texas. (IMHO)

I would only send one of my children to college there, as punishment. 

I would move back to Ohio in a nano second, before I'd move to Lubbock.wink


According to the Real Housewives of Dallas, Plano is the least desirable place in Texas.  They use it as a put down.  That's so Plano.  You're acting Plano. 



__________________


Owl drink to that!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4799
Date:
Permalink  
 

What a bunch of boobs

__________________

Was it a bad day?

Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
Date:
Permalink  
 

Tignanello wrote:

I didn't realize this would be an Anti-Muslim thing. I just figured it was because little kids would giggle and say "he said B00B!" and then spend the rest of the day walking around going "boobooboobooboob" and giggling.


 Funny, I thought the same thing.

Texas, Texas... Texas.confuse



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1586
Date:
Permalink  
 


lubbock is an armpit--so is plano--and amarillo--and houston for sure--would not go there for the Second Coming



__________________

" the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. "--edmund burke

 



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

I first heard the word from chef.

flan

__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
Date:
Permalink  
 

burns07 wrote:


lubbock is an armpit--so is plano--and amarillo--and houston for sure--would not go there for the Second Coming


 I had a layover in Forth Worth once, I honestly don't recall much about that city. confuse Nothing of note.



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1849
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lexxy wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:
FNW wrote:

Is Lubbock predominately muslim?


No, FNW.

Lubbock, is the armpit of Texas. (IMHO)

I would only send one of my children to college there, as punishment. 

I would move back to Ohio in a nano second, before I'd move to Lubbock.wink


According to the Real Housewives of Dallas, Plano is the least desirable place in Texas.  They use it as a put down.  That's so Plano.  You're acting Plano. 


What?! Whats wrong with Plano?

Also, Lubbock is the worst.  



__________________


Give Me Grand's!

Status: Offline
Posts: 13802
Date:
Permalink  
 

Oh good gosh, what the heck is wrong with "sand storm"?

They need to keep it simple instead of adding drama to the weather.

Oh, wait...

__________________

I drink coffee so I don't kill you.

I quilt so I don't kill you.

Do you see a theme?

Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

C'mon...hab00b is neat to say...Like "Skippyjon Jones!"

flan

__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



Nothing's Impossible

Status: Offline
Posts: 16913
Date:
Permalink  
 

I like that word. I like Tsunami too instead of tidal wave.

__________________

A person's a person no matter how small.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3029
Date:
Permalink  
 

"It's a sandstorm, not some Arab word thing" wasn't exactly the issue I was expecting when I opened this thread. LOL.

I, like others, was expecting uproar over the "boob" in "haboob".

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 6644
Date:
Permalink  
 

In AZ, dust storms and haboobs are not the same.

A coworker and I referred to them as haboobies.

__________________

~At Gnome in the Kitchen~



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

chef wrote:

In AZ, dust storms and haboobs are not the same.

A coworker and I referred to them as haboobies.


 You almost make me want to visit AZ...almost!

I remember the photos you posted.

flan



__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.

FNW


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 18704
Date:
Permalink  
 

just Czech wrote:

Oh good gosh, what the heck is wrong with "sand storm"?

They need to keep it simple instead of adding drama to the weather.

Oh, wait...


 My thoughts, too.



__________________

#it's5o'clocksomewhere



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

Tangerine wrote:
Lexxy wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:
FNW wrote:

Is Lubbock predominately muslim?


No, FNW.

Lubbock, is the armpit of Texas. (IMHO)

I would only send one of my children to college there, as punishment. 

I would move back to Ohio in a nano second, before I'd move to Lubbock.wink


According to the Real Housewives of Dallas, Plano is the least desirable place in Texas.  They use it as a put down.  That's so Plano.  You're acting Plano. 


What?! Whats wrong with Plano?

Also, Lubbock is the worst.  


I have no idea.  I just saw it on RHWD.   



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 6644
Date:
Permalink  
 

flan327 wrote:
chef wrote:

In AZ, dust storms and haboobs are not the same.

A coworker and I referred to them as haboobies.


 You almost make me want to visit AZ...almost!

I remember the photos you posted.

flan


Make sure you bring a jacket. It's going to be frigid this weekend. A paltry 118.



__________________

~At Gnome in the Kitchen~



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

chef wrote:
flan327 wrote:
chef wrote:

In AZ, dust storms and haboobs are not the same.

A coworker and I referred to them as haboobies.


 You almost make me want to visit AZ...almost!

I remember the photos you posted.

flan


Make sure you bring a jacket. It's going to be frigid this weekend. A paltry 118.


 I'd probably freeze to death!

flan



__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 6644
Date:
Permalink  
 

flan327 wrote:
chef wrote:
flan327 wrote:
chef wrote:

In AZ, dust storms and haboobs are not the same.

A coworker and I referred to them as haboobies.


 You almost make me want to visit AZ...almost!

I remember the photos you posted.

flan


Make sure you bring a jacket. It's going to be frigid this weekend. A paltry 118.


 I'd probably freeze to death!

flan


 But, if you want to see a haboobie in person, you'll have to wait till July ... when it's 118 (on average) every day rather than just the weekend.



__________________

~At Gnome in the Kitchen~

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard