Satellite photo of a Saharan dust cloud (2000) over the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.
A dust storm is a meteorological phenomenon common on the Great Plains of North America, Arabia, in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, the Taklamakan Desert of northwest China, the Sahara Desert of northern Africa, and other arid and semi-arid regions. Severe dust storms can reduce visibility to zero, making travel impossible, and can blow away valuable topsoil, while depositing soil in places where it may not be wanted. Drought and, of course, wind contribute to the emergence of dust storms, as do poor farming and grazing practices. The dust picked up in such a storm can be carried thousands of kilometers: Sahara dust storms influence plankton growth in the western Atlantic Ocean and, according to some scientists, are an important source of scarce minerals for the plants of the Amazon rainforest. Dust storms can often be observed from satellite photos.
Dust storm (1935) in Spearman, Texas.
Dust storm (1935) in Stratford, Texas.
On other planets
A massive global dust storm raging on Mars in 2001.
Dust storms are also known to occur on a massive scale on the planet Mars. Storms on Mars last longer, and cover larger areas, than on Earth: some of these storms cover the entire planet and last for hundreds of days.
Duststorms are caused when high winds sweep across unplanted agricultural fields or dry desert terrain, causing dust to engulf nearby highways.
Duststorms are generally brief, but must be taken seriously because of blinding conditions on the highways.
Duststorms are more common between the May and September on Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, Interstate 10 between Benson and the New Mexico State line, and on Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Yuma.
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