Sometime in the 80's we had what appeared to be massive rolling wave of sand on the horizon. It was hundreds of feet high, miles across and slowly enveloped Doha.
We were en-route for the Falcon Club when it hit. Everything went dark and the winds inside the cloud were extremely strong and uprooted roadside signs. We had to pull up on the side of the road.
After about 15 minutes it started to clear and we could drive again.
Apparently this phenomenon is common in the Sudan.
There were lots of photographs taken (such as half a mosque visible and the other half in the cloud) some of which must still exist in Doha.
I am sure that some of the ones with long experience of Qatar will remember it.