Dust Devils: How Dangerous Are They?

Dust devils can look intimating but they are not the same thing as a tornado or a haboob. 

"Typically tornadoes are going to be stronger," said meteorologist Dawn Johnson.

This means they'll produce more damage like the Hawthorne tornado last year . Dust devils on the other hand are oftentimes pretty weak and short lived. This picture was taken in Fallon by viewer Darren Harris.

"You most definitely do not want to be driving through it if you can avoid it. Otherwise if you're at a safe distance they're perfectly safe to sit and there and watch," said Johnson.

A dust devil tends to collect dust and other debris such as rocks so you would still want to be careful. Every once in a while, it is possible for a dust devil to be quite strong. 

"We have seen cases where very strong dust devils have reached speeds of 70 or 80 miles per hour and actually lofted tents and things into the air," said Johnson.

Usually they produce wind speeds far lower than 70 miles per hour. How they form is what makes them typically much weaker. 

"A tornado is going to be formed from a thunderstorm cloud and you're going to be seeing the rotation in the cloud itself," said Johnson.

Where as a dust devil will form at the surface and grow upwards. The best way to tell a tornado from a dust devil is to look up and see if there's any clouds around. We definitely have our fair share of sunshine and dust in northern Nevada.

"Dust devils are pretty common around here," said Johnson. This picture was taken at Lake Winnemucca by Lora E. Myles.

A quiet, hot, and sunny day is ideal. The difference in temperature between two different types of terrain, such as pavement and grass, helps to create the circulations and the dust itself makes the circulations visible. When you have two different temperatures it creates a boundary or a convergence zone, allowing the air to rise. As the air rises it creates a space for new air to replace it, this leads to winds coming from different directions. It is very possible that wind circulations are going on even if you don't see them. 

"When we get that typical afternoon wind known as the Washoe Zephyr that can cause spin ups along the leading edge of it which can pick up dust as well," said Johnson. 

The hills can also stop a dust devil from traveling and cause it to weaken. It's a very intricate process for sure.