While dust devils are rarely strong enough to be damaging, this one threw a child’s playset around like it was nothing.
Dust Devils/Sand Whirls, etc…
While this phenomenon has a few different common names, around our area, it is typically referred to as a “dust devil.” A dust devil is another name for the spinning column of debris you see when it gets kicked up into a whirlwind. Sometimes, they can look a bit like tornadoes, but unlike tornadoes, they are typically not destructive.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, dust devils are caused when the air near the ground is unstable. The example they use is that if the soil is heated by the sun (insolation) that can cause a rotation. The World Meteorological Organization says that dust devils are generally less than 30m, but there are reports of dust devils as tall as 1 km! The World Meteorological Organization goes on to say that dust devils are rarely strong enough to cause any damage.
A Destructive Dust Devil in Kentucky
While it’s not common for dust devils to be strong enough to cause any damage, the same can not be said for one Kentucky family who had a dust devil destroy a swing set in their yard.
One second, the playset is perfect!
On March 20th, Chief Meteorologist Marc Weinberg from WDRB in Louisville shared a video from a Shelbyville, Kentucky resident’s yard. The video has since gone viral and garnered more than 175,000 views, and when you watch it, you’ll see why (video shared below)!
Dust devil spins up:
It’s so weird because the day is sunny and the sky is blue, so it looks like a totally fine and mild day…