A viral spectacle unfolded at Sun Devil Stadium this week, as Arizona State University football employees captured a massive dust storm, known as a haboob, rolling across the venue. The time-lapse, which has since captivated millions of viewers, was a confluence of nature's might and human resolve. Callum Norrie, ASU's director of creative video for the football team, quickly realized the potential for a striking time-lapse when he spotted the dust wall, which soared up to 8,000 feet, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
Norrie recounted the urgency of the moment, "As soon as I saw it I called up my assistant, Chris, who is upstairs in our office, and I was like, 'prep a tripod, camera, SD card and a battery as soon as you can and get out here, because there's a sick opportunity for a time-lapse here,'" according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Despite fighting 40-mph wind gusts, Norrie leaned on the tripod to secure the shot, evidence of his commitment to capturing the phenomenon. This moment of turmoil against the backdrop of ASU's stadium, was not just a display of nature's grandeur, but also, a symbolic ushering in of the Sun Devils' football season.
The video's release was well-timed, posted just five days before ASU's season opener against Northern Arizona. It seemed almost cinematic, given that the team's mascot, Sparky, is known for bringing "the storm" before home games. The haboob, however, did pose a practical problem—it arrived shortly after the stadium staff had cleaned the seating bowl, a detail noted by ASU athletic director Graham Rossini, Arizona Sports revealed.
The No. 11 ranked Sun Devils are looking to capitalize on last year's playoff appearance, with high hopes riding on their performance this season. A previous encounter with a haboob delayed head coach Kenny Dillingham's debut against Southern Utah during the 2023 opener; the team is likely hoping the weather for Saturday's 7 p.m. MST game will be more cooperative. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals shared their own brush with the dust storm via a video at their practice facility, the team apparently unfazed by the encroaching desert spectacle, Arizona Sports reported.
As these videos go viral, they showcase not only the prowess of ASU's creative team but also the unique climatic events that characterize the Arizona landscape. "It's cool to showcase how unique Arizona is," Norrie said on FOX 10 Phoenix.
