Topic: Dust Devils

[David C]

Was in Napa Valley last week (California) for work. On the way back from lunch, and just as we approached the office, a dust devil spun up among the grape vines right before our eyes. Looked very nice as it picked up some soil. It then crossed the road, over the manicured lawns, and in the process picked up a bunch of leaves and other assorted stuff which nicely revealed the still intense vortex, and then it then moved right over the building unbeknownst to those inside -  a definite F0 !  Temps were high 30s and very hot soil, so super-adiabatic lapse rates in play.

If you have your own dustdevil pics / encounters, throw them up here!

[Richary]

Don't these days live in an area prone to that sort of thing! But I spent two years in Woomera in the middle of South Australia in the early 70s as a kid. We would often get willy willies with bits of paper disappearing very high into the air, and occasional dust devils. Last time I saw one was August last year driving across the NW of NSW. Off to the side of the road, and I missed it as it came across the road.

We used to get the occasional sandstorm in Woomera too. Where visibility was down to almost nothing.