Sandstorm in the Alps/Western Europe

[jamesdeluxe]

Giving this its own thread -- not uncommon apparently (this is from Feb 2021), but shocking nonetheless and I clearly dodged a bullet with my trip timing.

Piau-Engaly in the Pyrenees:

I'm blanking -- does something like that occur in the western U.S.?

 

[Tony Crocker]

I'm blanking -- does something like that occur in the western U.S.?

It can, but I think it's much less frequent. The SW deserts may be closer, but they pale in size vs. the Sahara. Colorado and sometimes Utah would be the downwind mountain locations. This tends to be a spring phenomenon; that's when there seems to be a lot of wind off the deserts. Beijing/NE China get these windstorms off the Gobi Desert primarily in spring too, and occasionally they will reach the snow in Japan.

 

[EMSC]

I'm blanking -- does something like that occur in the western U.S.?

Very much can and has occurred. Reasonably infrequent though. Maybe once per ~7-10 years? And not usually quite as much dust - a thinner layer. I know there's been speculation that it occurs more often in recent decades due to the increasing numbers of dirt roads, 4x4 activity, etc.. in desert areas loosening up more sand and dust to be blown into the air.

It has a decent effect on spring melt out too. Those dark dust particles mostly stay on top of the snow as it melts, absorbing the suns rays much more so than normal. So melt-out occurs far faster in those years.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Glacier 3000 2021/22 - Seite 2 - alpinforum.com

 

[EMSC]

For reference for the Rocky Mtns...

Story on Dust in Rocky Mtns Snowpack

 

[ChrisC]

It can, but I think it's much less frequent. The SW deserts may be closer, but they pale in size vs. the Sahara. Colorado and sometimes Utah would be the downwind mountain locations. This tends to be a spring phenomenon; that's when there seems to be a lot of wind off the deserts.

I am not sure about this. I try to go out to Telluride for closing week/weekend every year (the first weekend of April) and the red dust storms are becoming very frequent...especially if a storm is blowing in.

It's almost yearly now - and it looks like Armageddon blowing in from Utah. It's the red clay of Southern Utah so it looks almost Martian in appearance. If the storm does not deliver significant snow, you could be skiing on some red grit. But you need to take cover at the beginning of late March/April storms.

It's the Southwest drought - partially triggered by global warming.