What are the causes of sandstorms

Arab weather - sandstorms begin when strong winds can carry dust particles and topsoil, and with the increase in the strength of the dust that passes over the sand or loosened soil, the sand particles begin to vibrate first, then move across the surface and hit the ground again and again, at which point they disintegrate and break the dust particles small ones that then begin to move and rise into the air.

The primary particles of dust and sand rub against the earth's surface, which in turn breaks up more sand particles that then start rubbing against other particles and multiplying the number of dust and sand particles that move with the wind.

There are main factors that cause the dissolution of sand particles and their transfer with the wind and the formation of sandstorms, namely:

1. Prolonged soil drying.
2. Arid conditions and absence of vegetation.
3. High wind speed.
4. Some erroneous agricultural practices, such as intensive plowing of dry lands, and lack of steady crops, especially at times when sandstorms are active.

Forms of sandstorms and their causes

1. Frontal sandstorms:

When cold and dry air invades the atmosphere of desert areas in conjunction with a hot and dry local air mass, the denser cold mass meets the less dense hot mass, so the cold air slides very quickly under the hot air, causing an activity in the movement of winds, and thus the occurrence of a sandstorm.

2. Movable sandstorms:

It occurs when dust is stirred up in small areas and moved to large areas, and this reason is specific to small and specific areas that do not exceed 50 square kilometers, so that it is easy to stir dust and export it to other large areas.

3. Sandstorms resulting from the regression of atmospheric pressure values:

When the atmospheric pressure values differ, another type of sandstorm occurs, due to the increased activity of dust-inducing winds, as strong pressure gradients cause an increase in wind speed over a large area, as it happens in the Al-Barah period in the Arabian Peninsula during the summer.

4. Sandstorms caused by downward winds of cumulus thunderstorms:

As thunder clouds cool the air below, the air becomes thicker and rushes downward, sometimes causing a wall sandstorm.

5. Whirlwind:

It is produced when the sun heats the Earth in the afternoons, reducing the density of air in a small spot, which leads to dusty air circulating around that spot counterclockwise, then randomly moving to other regions.

6. Impulsive pebbles:

It occurs when the wind pushes away small pebbles and sand, causing dust and dirt.

The following is a video explaining the types of sandstorms and the reasons for their formation: