ANOTHER day, another dust storm – experts say the long-running drought is to blame for the frequency of these weather events during the past few months. A dust storm swallowed the Dubbo region on the last day of 2018 – it took away the view, the air quality and it also robbed the city of its New Years Eve fireworks display. Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) meteorologist Kim Westcott said a dust storm is an area of raised dust that moves with the prevailing wind system. READ MORE: Heatwaves and high fire danger to continue into 2019: Forecasters “Dust storms have been known to dust particles as high as 4.5 kilometres into the atmosphere with the average height of a dust storm being 1-2 km,” she said. “Dust storms can move particles halfway across the Earth and can move as fast as the prevailing weather system.” Ms Westcott said dust storms occur in a very sporadic nature and in dry or drought weather they can occur more frequently. “In prolonged dry periods, dust storms are a frequent occurrence, while in the wetter periods dust storms are very uncommon due to the increase in vegetation and soil moisture binding dust particles to the surface,” she said. Mondays dust storm in Western NSW was accompanied by a severe weather warning from the BoM for damaging winds. BoM data shows winds gusts were strong right across the region with a top of 92km/h in Trangie. It was also gusty in Parkes (82km/h), Ivanhoe (80km/h), Dubbo (78km/h), Condobolin (72km/h) and Coonamble (69km/h). While the World Meteorological Organizations website describes dust storms a “meteorological hazards”. “They are usually caused by thunderstorms, or strong pressure gradients associated with cyclones, which increase wind speed over a wide area,” it states. READ ALSO: Speeding their way to a loss of licence during the festive period “These strong winds lift large amounts of sand and dust from bare, dry soils into the atmosphere, transporting them hundreds to thousands of kilometres away.” Macquarie University Department of Environmental Science senior lecturer Paul Hesse told The Lighthouse that was a link between dust storms and droughts. READ ALSO: Looking for a cheap family getaway these school holidays? “There is a simple correlation between the drought, and especially the length of the drought, and the occurrence of these dust storms,” he said. “With the ongoing drought, we are likely to see more of these phenomena in coming months.” Apart from the obvious characteristic of dust storms reducing visibility, Ms Westcott said dust storms could have an effect on the health of the general population. “Humans can be affected due to the small size of the dust particles, people with breathing related conditions of have trouble when they are trapped in a dust storm,” she said. “As well as this, dust particles carry microorganisms which can cause increases in disease in areas affected by dust storms.”
Yet another dust storm, experts explain why theyre happening
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DUST STORMS: Ongoing drought conditions will bring more of these weather events, like the one on December 31 to the region. Photo: TRACY BLACKBURN
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Alysea Adamson-Shay
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Caitlyn Taz
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: David Scott
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: David Scott
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: David Scott
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Fiona Rayner
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Gailean Attard
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Heidi Taylor
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Jane Burgess
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Jason Ferrari
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Kai-Ellen Capes
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Karen Gaydon
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Leanne McIntosh Eveleigh
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Lynne Bennett
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Maddy O'Brien
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Marita Pearson
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Marita Pearson
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Nell McGee
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Niomi Schubel
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Niomi Schubel
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Robyn Masling
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Sadie Butler
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Sadie Butler
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Sally Bourchier
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Shrestha Ritesh
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Tracey Anderson
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Tracy Blackburn
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Tracy Blackburn
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Tracy Blackburn
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Veronica Hyland
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Veronica Hyland
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Virginia Jane Mather
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Yvette Bornstein Murphy
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Alayna Tink
Dust storm on December 31, 2018. Photo: Lisa Milliner
Photo: Rick Terry
ANOTHER day, another dust storm – experts say the long-running drought is to blame for the frequency of these weather events during the past few months.
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) meteorologist Kim Westcott said a dust storm is an area of raised dust that moves with the prevailing wind system.
“Dust storms have been known to dust particles as high as 4.5 kilometres into the atmosphere with the average height of a dust storm being 1-2 km,” she said.
“Dust storms can move particles halfway across the Earth and can move as fast as the prevailing weather system.”
Ms Westcott said dust storms occur in a very sporadic nature and in dry or drought weather they can occur more frequently.
DUST STORMS: Ongoing drought conditions will bring more of these weather events, like the one on December 31 to the region. Photo: NELL MCGEE
“In prolonged dry periods, dust storms are a frequent occurrence, while in the wetter periods dust storms are very uncommon due to the increase in vegetation and soil moisture binding dust particles to the surface,” she said.
Mondays dust storm in Western NSW was accompanied by a severe weather warning from the BoM for damaging winds.
BoM data shows winds gusts were strong right across the region with a top of 92km/h in Trangie.
Dust storms can move particles halfway across the Earth and can move as fast as the prevailing weather system.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Kim Westcott
It was also gusty in Parkes (82km/h), Ivanhoe (80km/h), Dubbo (78km/h), Condobolin (72km/h) and Coonamble (69km/h).
While the World Meteorological Organizations website describes dust storms a “meteorological hazards”.
“They are usually caused by thunderstorms, or strong pressure gradients associated with cyclones, which increase wind speed over a wide area,” it states.
“These strong winds lift large amounts of sand and dust from bare, dry soils into the atmosphere, transporting them hundreds to thousands of kilometres away.”
Macquarie University Department of Environmental Science senior lecturer Paul Hesse told The Lighthouse that was a link between dust storms and droughts.
“There is a simple correlation between the drought, and especially the length of the drought, and the occurrence of these dust storms,” he said.
“With the ongoing drought, we are likely to see more of these phenomena in coming months.”
What problems do dust storms bring?
Apart from the obvious characteristic of dust storms reducing visibility, Ms Westcott said dust storms could have an effect on the health of the general population.
“Humans can be affected due to the small size of the dust particles, people with breathing related conditions of have trouble when they are trapped in a dust storm,” she said.
“As well as this, dust particles carry microorganisms which can cause increases in disease in areas affected by dust storms.”
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Nyngan Observer
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