Dust in the wind: A wall of sand moves through Al Asad (amazing photos!)

http://www.marines.mil/ ^ | (April 26, 2005) | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Dust in the wind: A wall of sand moves through Al Asad
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 2005426134811
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge



AL ASAD, Iraq (April 26, 2005) -- A dust storm similar to special effects on the big screen bellowed across the western desert of Iraq on April 26. The storm was spawned near the border of Syria and Jordan. Forward Operating Base Korean Village experienced tornadoes around 2 p.m. The storm moved in a northeasterly direction until it reached Al Asad, around 6:45.

Weather forecasters here described the storm as a downburst. "A downburst is a strong downdraft resulting in an outward burst of damaging winds at ground level," said Gunnery Sgt. John B. Badeaux, weather forecaster for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). "Downburst winds can produce damage similar to a strong tornado," he added.

The ensuing storm increased energy as the winds pushed over the desert, which created a wall of dirt. According to weather officials a dust storm this strong is extremely rare for this region of Iraq.

Badeaux said these types of conditions make forecasting difficult in a desert environment. "There are absolutely no indicators that allow forecasters to confidently predict the timing and intensity of a storm like this."

According to forecasters, thunderstorms were observed on satellite 30 to 40 miles from Al Asad. However, no thunderstorms or tornadoes were recorded on the air base.

As the storm moved closer the sky changed to a shade of orange until total darkness blanketed the ground. The storm passed over in about 45 minutes, leaving a heavy sheet of dust in its wake. Forecaster say the wall of dust may have reached 4,000 to 5,000 feet.

Editors Note: This dust storm was a spectacular sight and may look worse than it actually was. No one was injured and no equipment was damaged here.

Photos included with story:

	AL ASAD, Iraq—A dust storm similar to special effects on the big screen bellowed across the western desert of Iraq on April 26. The storm was spawned near the border of Syria and Jordan. Weather forecasters here described the dust storm as a downburst. The ensuing storm increased energy as the winds pushed over the desert, which created a wall of dirt. Weather officials said that a downburst this strong is extremely rare for this region of Iraq. As the storm moved closer the sky changed to a shade of orange until total darkness blanketed the ground. The storm passed over in about 45 minutes, leaving a heavy sheet of dust in its wake. Forecaster say the wall of dust may have reached 4,000 to 5,000 feet, based on the height of the clouds above it. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge
	AL ASAD, Iraq—A dust storm similar to special effects on the big screen bellowed across the western desert of Iraq on April 26. The storm was spawned near the border of Syria and Jordan. Weather forecasters here described the dust storm as a downburst. The ensuing storm increased energy as the winds pushed over the desert, which created a wall of dirt. Weather officials said that a downburst this strong is extremely rare for this region of Iraq. As the storm moved closer the sky changed to a shade of orange until total darkness blanketed the ground. The storm passed over in about 45 minutes, leaving a heavy sheet of dust in its wake. Forecaster say the wall of dust may have reached 4,000 to 5,000 feet, based on the height of the clouds above it. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge
	AL ASAD, Iraq-A dust storm similar to special effects on the big screen bellowed across the western desert of Iraq on April 26. The storm was spawned near the border of Syria and Jordan. Weather forecasters here described the dust storm as a downburst. The ensuing storm increases energy as the winds push over the desert, which creates a wall of dirt. Weather officials say that a downburst this strong is extremely rare for this region of Iraq. As the storm moved closer the sky changed to a shade of orange until total darkness blanketed the ground. The storm passed over in about 45 minutes, leaving a heavy sheet of dust in its wake. Forecaster say the wall of dust may have reached 4,000 to 5,000 feet, based on the height of the clouds above it. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge

[BlueNgold]

Wow

[Run Silent Run Deep]

I see this several times a summer out here in Az

[Ramius]

Wow. I've never seen anything remotely like that.

[visualops]

Whoa!

[Rakkasan1]

gritty undapants ping

[Majic]

Whoa, incredible! Thanks for sharing them.

Weather like this makes Twentynine Palms look like paradise.

[Ramius]

Heh... given my previous comment... and given that I have seen the dust storms in Phoenix... OK... *remotely* like that. :-)

But still...

[blackdog]

Allah's wrath on Americans. A follow up to the giant killer spiders that sent American troops running to mamma like little girls. Of course the Imams who told of the giant spiders sent by Allah couldn't show anyone a spider....or picture....or leg.

A dust storm? Feh! Nice postcard.

[mattdono]

I'm sure that Dan Rather is investigating. Word from his "inside" source say that the downburst was related, somehow, to Abu Ghraib. At least that's what a recent document obtained by CBS says...

[sneer] [snicker]

[TomGuy]

Looks like a sand tsunami.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

lol

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Reminds me of the movie Hidalgo.

[cmsgop]

"Look at Me I am Sandy Dee"

[underdognewsgrl]

I saw a mini-version of one of these in the Arizona desert one time, rolling through a valley among the mountains along I-10 around the California border. I was coming down out of the pass and so was able to look down on this brown tide as it rolled across the field of view, completely blanketing evrything on the gorund beneath it. Pretty otherworldly.

[silent_jonny]

Awesome

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Good one!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I would like to see one - from a distance.

[ken21]

i've seen dust storms like that in western nebraska.

after the dust storm it gets very quiet.

then come the hail storms and tornadoes.

[AGreatPer]

Not good for machinery, vehicles, airplanes. Awesome.

Honey, did you get a new air filter?

[Disambiguator]

That's I-40 west of Grants during the springtime.

[ErnBatavia]

I see this several times a summer out here in Az

We see it every two or three years over here in the California desert, when you guys succeed in foisting it off on us.

The guy next door had just painted his Santa Fe style house in those Mexico City colors - which of course included a purple garage door - when the last one coated us with red dust.

It really hurt him, but not enough to repaint...it's still a mucky mix of purple and pink Arizona dust haze.

[cmsgop]

Thats my Wife!!!!

[P-Marlowe]

Reminds me of the movie Hidalgo.

You know I refused to see that movie because the dust storm in the previews looked so fake. I guess maybe I misjudged it. Maybe I'll reconsider.

[ErnBatavia]

I-40 west of Grants during the springtime.

I ran out of gas there in the 70's, just past dawn ! Driving a borrowed Beetle back to California and it went dry; old Navajo couple picked me up and took me into Grants for a gas can, so I have fond memories of your locals.

Funniest part was when I went to hitch-hike back to the VDub, two scroungy unshaven scumbags screeched to a stop and collected me; only when I was in the car did I see all the guns on the seat....turns out they were state cops on their way in to work, and I saw them again an hour later while still priming that blasted engine. They were nice and clean shaven and professional looking.

[NRA2BFree]

Amazing! They just showed some pictures of the sand storms on our local TV station. Our soldiers have goggles and masks so they don't have to have it in their face.

[lilmsdangrus]

LOL

[31R1O]

Reminds me of the spring of 2003 on my way to Baghdad.

[tiki]

Same here in NM, they roll in and over. It's cool to watch them though.

[Major_Risktaker]

Dust Storm Blows Across Iraq
Image Acquired: April 19, 2005

Aerial View are very cool!

(MODIS) image from Aqua satellite.

The dust is blowing north out of
the Syrian Desert in Iraq and Syria.

RBA-Reminds me of the movie
DUNE and the oil must flow.

[Syntyr]

RUUNNNN

[native texan]

Looks like the Texas Panhandle during the mid 1930's. A photo was just reprinted in the Amarillo, Texas, newspaper. Except instead of red dirt, it was black.

[Army Air Corps]

Looks like a Spring Dust Storm in the Texas Panhandle...

[Disambiguator]

It probably still looks about the same as it did then.

[ErnBatavia]

It probably still looks about the same as it did then.

Actually, wifey and I drove through the area a year ago, and the memories kicked in....no, it's a lot different; the old couple had to drive me almost a mile off the interstate to the first gas station - now, they're right in your face like every other highway in the country....it looks like your area has really grown.

[DogBarkTree]

I got this in an email several days ago. It had a lot of pics taken of the storm approaching from an elevated point on the base. What disturbed me was besides the wall of sand approaching in the pics, so was the layout of the base and the location of rows of barracks. I dont think photos like that should be out there.

[tortoise]

I saw this once or twice in the plains of eastern Washington, believe it or not. Cool to see.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Interesting. Two in one month? The date of them are the 19th and 26th.