A C-17 Globemaster III waits for a haboob to die down before departing, Sept. 8, 2008. Haboobs are sandstorms that result from the collapse of thunderstorms and the resulting downdrafts. The dust carried by a haboob can rise several kilometers in the sky, and winds can travel upwards of 30 mph. The C-17 is deployed from McChord Air Force Base, Wash.