Dust storm

Dust storm (or sandstorm in some contexts) is a meteorological phenomenon common in dry, arid and semi-arid regions. Such a storm is usually the result of convection currents created by intense heating of the ground. These currents then carry clouds of sand over large distances.


Usually, a dust storm is a result of convection currents forming from hot ground. These currents can create winds that blow up to 120 km/h. These storms are often very large and can move whole sand dunes. Dust storms can carry large amounts of dust, so much so that the leading edge of one can appear as a solid wall of dust as much as 1,525 m high. Dust storms often come off the Sahara Desert with the global trade winds. These are also known as a simoom or simoon (sîmūm, sîmūn). The haboob (həbūb) is a sandstorm prevalent in the region of Sudan around Khartoum. Drought and wind contribute to the emergence of dust storms, as do poor farming and grazing practices by exposing the dust and sand to the wind.