Can a sand storm in Arabia cause a dip in the yield of your photovoltaic plant?

Solar power generation has accelerated worldwide during the last decade. Often the regions of high intensity of solar radiation are in the desert areas which are prone to Haboobs (Arabic word meaning "wind"). Haboobs are sandstorms caused by strong horizontal winds. They occur regularly in arid regions throughout the world. Impact of these events has been examined from various angles such as health, aviation, transportation, agriculture as they affect a billion people around the world. Here it is shown that these events can decrease the yield of a solar photovoltaic plant significantly. Analysis of measured solar radiation during a sand storm is carried out to assess its impact on solar power generation.