Dust storm

A meteorological event in which strong winds lift large quantities of dust into the atmosphere, sharply reducing visibility and transporting particles over long distances.

Saltation: The movement of sand-sized particles in short hops close to a surface. Hopping grains strike the ground and eject finer particles that winds can carry aloft.
Drought: A prolonged period of unusually low water availability in a region. Drought dries soils and reduces vegetation that would otherwise anchor them.
Particulate matter: A mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in air. Airborne dust contributes to particulate pollution that people inhale.
Desert lung disease: A respiratory illness caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Coccidioides, which can become airborne in dry soil. Dust exposure can carry infectious spores in regions where the fungus lives.
Wind erosion: The removal and transport of soil or rock particles by wind. Dust storms are intense episodes of wind erosion.
Desertification: Land degradation in drylands that reduces biological productivity and resilience. Degraded land can expose loose particles to storm winds.
Visibility: The greatest distance at which an object can be seen clearly in the atmosphere. Dense dust can make roads and runways hazardous by reducing visibility.
Asian dust: Mineral dust transported from East Asian deserts and drylands, especially during spring storms. It illustrates how dust can cross national borders and affect distant air quality.
Atmospheric boundary layer: The lowest part of the atmosphere, directly influenced by contact with Earth's surface. Its turbulence mixes lifted dust upward and controls near-surface concentrations.
Thunderstorm outflow: A spreading mass of cool air that flows outward from a thunderstorm's downdraft. Its advancing gust front can trigger a haboob.

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