Definition of Sandstorm

A storm is one of the most frequent meteorological phenomena on our planet and it is characterized by an instability of the environment that ends up manifesting itself with the fall of abundant Water plus other phenomena such as lightning, hail, thunder and strong winds, among others.

Meanwhile, in regards to the sandstorm it will be a wind The one that impels it is tremendously strong and that will make the sand move in a massive and very violent way due to the action of it. The drought that characterizes the terrain is the third factor that comes into play to generate this phenomenon. So the sandstorm is doable when a big wind stalks a sandy area.

The sand is hauled with great violence to other places quickly by the wind, through long kilometers. Even, many times it happens that the sand joins with the rain on the path of the storm and ends up producing a rain of mud capable of leaving great dirt in the environment through which it passes.

Characteristic phenomenon of deserts and arid zones

This phenomenon is characteristic of those areas in which sand predominates, such is the case of desert Sahara, in some plains and in regions where the terrain is arid or semi-arid.

Visibility problems and problems in livestock and agricultural activities

As with strong water storms that can generate severe problems such as floods, sandstorms, are also capable of producing a lot of complications when it comes to the circulation of traffic since the violent flight of the sand will reduce visibility to minimum limits. By case it is that it is not recommended to drive cars in these contexts.

The sandstorm is also capable of producing complex scenarios in economic activities such as farming and livestock, seriously damaging the work of both productions and permanently modifying the affected land.

Satellites are good transmitters of the roughness that are capable of producing these types of storms in their path.

It is also often referred to as a dust storm.

Photos: iStock - AskinTulayOver / Milan Zeremski