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Dust Storms
Massive walls of dust and debris called haboobs that roll through the Southwest U.S. can be awe-inspiring and terrifying, especially for motorists caught in their path. Thunderstorms spawn the phenomenon and can create a wall of dust thousands of feet tall and several miles wide, reaching speeds of 60 mph (97 kpm) or more. Here's what to know: How do haboobs form? Thunderstorms can produce strong downdrafts that hit the ground at 50-80 mph (80-129 kph) and then spread in all directions, said Sean Benedict, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Phoenix office. The winds stir up loose dust and dirt, including from arid areas and farm fields, that get blown along in front of the approaching storm cell. If thunderstorms don't keep developing, the dust dissipates. But rain-cooled air in front of a storm can keep pushing warm air upward, generating new storms and more downdrafts, Benedict said. When that happens, the haboob can keep growing, and some travel as far as 100 m
Residents pounded by unusually vicious weather across parts of the US surveyed damage Sunday from violent tornadoes, high winds and blinding dust storms that decimated homes and other structures and left at least 37 people dead. National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Snell said tornado watches remained in effect for portions of the Carolinas, east Georgia and northern Florida. He said the main threat would be damaging winds, but there is the possibility of more tornadoes. As we go through the day today, there still is the potential for severe weather from, say, the upper Ohio Valley and western Pennsylvania down through the rest of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast as we have this cold front that's still moving across the country, and it won't clear the East Coast until later on tonight, Snell said. The dynamic storm from Friday through Sunday earned an unusual high risk designation from weather forecasters. Still, experts said it's not unusual to see such weather extremes in ...
A slow-moving storm has been dumping intense rains on northern Japan, causing rivers to swell, sending some residents to shelters and disrupting traffic during a Japanese Buddhist holiday week. The storm was once Typhoon Maria but has weakened, with winds now blowing up to 90 kph. It made landfall near Ofunato City in Iwate prefecture Monday morning and was expected to cut across the Tohoku region as it moved northwest at 15 kph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said no damage or injuries were reported so far, but authorities have cautioned about the risks of flooding and mudslides and advised 170,000 residents in Iwate and neighbouring Aomori and Miyagi prefectures to go to shelters. Up to 46 centimetres of rain has fallen over the past two days in the Iwate city of Kuji, and up to 25 centimetres more rain is forecast through Tuesday morning. Footage on NHK public television showed pedestrians walking by a swollen river as muddy
Delhi experienced a sudden shift in weather on Saturday afternoon as a dust storm swept through the city accompanied by a cloudy sky. The change in the weather brought some relief for the city, which has been experiencing severe heatwave conditions for the last five days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted earlier that due to western disturbances, the national capital might experience a change in weather, including cloudy skies, a dust storm or a thunderstorm with very light rain accompanied by gusty winds. The weather office said the maximum temperature in the city is likely to settle around 43 degrees Celsius.
Multiple people died on Tuesday and at least a dozen were injured when a powerful tornado tore through a small Iowa town, carving a bleak landscape of destroyed homes and businesses, shredded trees, smashed cars, and widely strewn debris. The tornado destroyed much of Greenfield, a town of about 2,000 around 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) southwest of Des Moines, during a day that saw multiple tornadoes, giant hail and heavy rain in several states. We do have confirmed fatalities, Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla said at a news conference on Tuesday night. He said authorities were still determining the total number but thought they had accounted for all of the town's residents. Dinkla said there were at least a dozen injuries amid widespread devastation in Greenfield, including at the community's small hospital. Patients there had to be transferred to other facilities in nearby cities. Authorities said they would only allow residents to enter Greenfield until Wednesday morning and ..
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a notice to an advertisement agency on Monday after the Ghatkopar billboard collapse incident, asking it to immediately remove the remaining three hoardings near the spot, officials said. The notice has been issued to M/s Ego Media for installing the hoarding that collapsed on the petrol pump during the gusty winds on Monday evening. According to police, eight persons were killed and more than 70 were injured in the incident. "The BMC has asked the ad agency to remove the remaining three hoardings immediately for not having valid permission," an official said. The Assistant Police Commissioner (Admin) had given permission for erecting the four hoardings on behalf of the Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai, including the one which collapsed on Monday, but no official permission or NOC was obtained from the BMC. The official said the land on which the hoarding was erected is the Collector land and it was in possession of Police .
The national capital on Saturday woke up to a pleasant weather after it witnessed overnight dust storms and rain. The minimum temperature in Delhi settled at 24.9 degrees Celsius, 0.5 notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather office has predicted thunderstorms with rain during the day. The city recorded 0.4 mm rain in the last 24 hours and the humidity was 62 per cent at 8.30 am, the IMD said. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 39 degrees Celsius. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was recorded in the "poor" category with a reading of 207 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). An AQI between 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor" and 401-500 "severe". An AQI above 500 falls in the "severe plus" category.
Dust storm, strong winds and rain swept parts of the national capital on Friday, and nine flights were diverted from the Delhi airport late in the evening due to bad weather, officials said. Some of the flights were diverted from the airport to Jaipur, an official said. Issuing an advisory for the dust storm, the MeT department urged the people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. Residents are urged to stay indoors, secure their windows and doors and refrain from unnecessary travel," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in the advisory. The IMD asked people to seek safe shelters and avoid cover under trees. The Delhi Traffic Police have issued a traffic alert on Dharam Marg and Janakpuri after a road at B2 Janakpuri was blocked by a large broken tree. In a post on X, the traffic police said asked commuters to avoid the stretch. There were multiple reports of trees falling in different areas due to the strong winds in the city. The weather department had ear