Weather Tidbits: Dust Storms Explained

We’ll be discussing dust storms in this edition of Weather Tidbits. A dust storm is a big wall of dust and debris that blows into an area. Dust storms are driven by strong winds via down burst wind gusts created by thunderstorms. Down burst winds are the result of cold, dense air becoming entrained within the thunderstorm cloud, which forces the denser air to collapse to the ground and spread out. The dust and debris within a dust storm travel many miles and reach heights of several thousand feet. Dust storms are most common in regions that are flat and mainly void of trees and plants, which helps the wind keep its momentum. Dust storms are hazardous because they create hazardous driving conditions with reduced visibility, can cause mechanical issues for planes, and make it hard to breathe outside.