Dust Devils Downunder

In the US Storm Chasers track Tornadoes, Downunder we delight in the dance of a Dust Devil.

Willy Nilly Watching is a favored pastime in the outback, where whirlwind wonders or dust devils appear frequently dancing across the dirt for a few minutes or at times for several hours depending on weather conditions.

Dust devils eventually burn themselves out when the air pressure within the cone rises to the pressure of the surrounding environment. Along their paths, dust devils mostly carry dust, dry leaves, and other feathery things, but they also may pick up enough strength to pull shingles from a roof.

Dust devils form through a different mechanism than tornadoes, and are much smaller, usually only 10 to 50 feet in diameter, and usually not extending more than 100 feet into the air. Common in relatively dry conditions, where sunlight heats the earths surface, and where winds are generally light. The heated land starts to produce convective rolls of air (as in the diagram above). Some of these rolls can get tilted upright, producing a dust devil.