Abstract
Dust storms are major, but under-studied actors in the world's drylands. Not only are they an important manifestation of desertification and land degradation, but they also have a whole suite of important environmental impacts, including possible rainfall suppression (Maley, 1982), fertilization of offshore areas, and disturbance to satellite communications. It is therefore important to ascertain whether their frequency and extent is changing. An increasing dust-storm incidence could be both a manifestation of and a contributor to global change.
By analysing long-term meteorological records for a large number of areas (the Great Plains of the USA, the USSR, Morocco, The Arabian Gulf, Australia, the Sahel-Sudan zone of Africa, China, Mongolia and Mexico) certain conclusions can be drawn. The first of these is that there is no one global pattern of dust-storm frequency trend. Some stations (e.g. in the Sahel) show a clear upward trend of great severity, others show a downward trend (e.g. Mexico City), while others show a more cyclical pattern. In many cases it is evident that essentially natural processes (precipitation totals, snow cover, wind strength) determine the frequency of dust events in any one year. It has also been possible to show the importance of runs of drought years (e.g. in the High Plains in the 1930s, and in the Sahel zone of Africa in the 1970s and 1980s). Elsewhere, however, various human activities have been significant in determining dust-storm frequency variations: the introduction of centre-pivot irrigation in the High Plains, the abstraction of water from the Owens and Mono basins in California, the disruption of surfaces by construction activity and vehicle use (e.g. in Ulan Bator, Mongolia), and the deliberate stabilisation of susceptible surfaces (e.g. the Lake Texcoco scheme in Mexico).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adefolalu, D. O.: 1984, ‘On Bioclimatological Aspects of Harmattan Dust Haze in Nigeria’, Archiv für Meteorologie, Geophysik und Bioclimatologie Ser. B 33, 387–404.
Adetunji, J., McGregor, J., and Ong, C. K.: 1979, ‘Harmattan Haze’, Weather 34, 430–436.
Agence France Presse: 1985, Tchad - divers; fog de sable sur Ndjamena, Ndjamena, 16 February 1985.
Becker, J.: 1986, ‘Gobi N-Tests Blamed for High Cancer Toll’, The Guardian, January 28, 11.
Behairy, A. K. A., El-Sayed, M. K., and Rao, N. V. N. D.: 1985, ‘Eolian Dust in the Coastal Area North of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’, Journal of Arid Environments 8, 89–98.
Bertrand, J., Cerf, A., and Domergue, J. L.: 1979, ‘Repartition in Space and Time of Dust Haze South of the Sahara’, WMO 538, 409–415.
Bigg, E. K. and Turvey, D. E.: 1978, ‘Sources of Atmospheric Particles over Australia’, Atmospheric Environment 12, 1643–1655.
Breed, C. S. and McCauley, J. F.: 1986, ‘Use of Dust Storm Observations on Satellite Images to Identify Areas Vulnerable to Severe Wind Erosion’, Climatic Change 9, 243–258.
Breed, C. S., Fryberger, S. G., Andrews, S., McCauley, C., Lennartz, F., Gebel, D., and Horstman, K.: 1979, ‘Regional Studies of Sand Seas Using Landsat (ERTS) Imagery’, in E. D. McKee (ed.), A Study of Global Sand Seas. US Geological Survey Professional Paper No. 1052, Washington, DC, pp. 305–393.
Bucher, A.: 1986, ‘Récherches sur les poussières minerales d'oringine Saharienne’, unpublished PhD thesis, Université de Rheims-Champagne-Ardenne.
Cahill, T. A.: 1984, Studies of particulate episodes at Mono Lake, final report to the California Air Resources Board on Contract No. A1-144-32, Davis, Ca, 16 pp.
Changery, M. J.: 1983, A Dust Climatology of the United States, NOAA Asheville, NC, pp. 25.
Choun, H. F.: 1936, ‘Dust Storms in Southwestern Plains Area’, Monthly Weather Review 64, 195–199.
Claflin, L. E., Stuteville, D. L., and Armburst, D. V: 1973, ‘Windblown Soil in the Epidemiology of Bacterial Leaf Spot of Alfalfa and Common Blight of Beans’, Phytopathology 63, 1417–1419.
Clements, T., Stone, R. O., Mann, J. F., and Eymann, J. L.: 1963, A Study of Windborne Sand and Dust in Desert Areas, US Army Natik Laboratories, Earth Sciences Division, Technical Report ES-8, Natik, MA.
Coakley, J. A. and Cess, R. D.: 1985, ‘Response of the NCAR Community Climate Model to the Radiative Forcing by the Naturally Occurring Tropospheric Aerosol’, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences 42, 1677–1692.
Conca, J. L. and Rossman, G. R.: 1982, ‘Case Hardening of Sandstone’, Geology 10, 520–523.
Coudé-Gaussen, G.: 1984, ‘Le cycle des poussières éoliennes désertiques actuelles et la sédimentation des loess peridésertiques quaternaires’, Bulletin Centre Récherche et Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine 8, 167–182.
Coudé-Gaussen, G. and Rognon, P.: 1988, ‘Origine éolienne de certains encrôutements calcaires sur l'ile de Fuerteventura (Canaries Orientales)’, Geoderma 42, 271–293.
Das, T. M.: 1988, ‘Effects of Deposition of Dust Particles on Leaves of Crop Plants on Screening of Solar Illumination and Associated Physiological Processes’, Environmental Pollution 53, 421–422.
Davitaya, F. F.: 1969, ‘Atmospheric Dust Content as a Factor Affecting Glaciation and Climatic Change’, Annals of the Association of American Geographers 59, 552–560.
Dorn, R. I.: 1986, ‘Rock Varnish as an Indicator of Aeolian Environmental Change’, in W. G. Nickling (ed.), Aeolian Geomorphology, Allen & Unwin, Winchester, Mass., pp. 291–307.
Gibbs, D. J.: 1975, ‘Drought: Its Definition, Delineation and Effects’, WMO 403, 11–39.
Gillette, D. A.: 1981, ‘Production of Dust That May Be Carried Great Distances’, in T. L. Péwé (ed.), Desert Dust, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, pp. 11–26.
Gillette, D. A. and Hanson, K. J.: 1989, ‘Spatial and Temporal Variability of Dust Production Caused by Wind Erosion in the United States’, Journal of Geophysical Research 94D, 2197–2206.
Goudie, A. S.: 1978, ‘Dust Storms and Their Geomorphological Implications’, Journal of Arid Environments 1, 291–310.
Goudie, A. S.: 1983, ‘Dust Storms in Space and Time’, Progress in Physical Geography 7, 502–530.
Hagen, L. J. and Woodruff, N. O.: 1973, ‘Air Pollution from Dust Storms in the Great Plains’, Atmospheric Environment 7, 323–332.
Heathcote, R. L.: 1983, The Arid Lands: Their Use and Abuse, Longmans, London, 323 pp.
Heusch, B.: 1980, ‘Erosion in the Ader Dutchi Massif (Niger)’, in M. De Boodt and D. Gabriels (eds.), Assessment of Erosion, Wiley, Chichester, pp. 521–529.
Hilling, D.: 1969, ‘Saharan Iron Ore Oasis’, Geographical Magazine 41, 908–917.
Hinds, B. D. and Hoidale, G. B.: 1977, ‘Boundary Layer Dust Occurrence. IV. Atmospheric Dust over Selected Geographical Areas’, Research and Development Technical Report ECOM-DR-77–3, US Army Electronic Command, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, 91 pp.
Hobbs, J. E.: 1988, ‘Recent Climatic Changes in Australia’, in S. Gregory (ed.), Recent Climatic Change, Belhaven Press, London, pp. 285–297.
Houseman, J.: 1961, ‘Dust Haze at Bahrain’, Meteorological Magazine 90, 50–52.
Hulme, M.: 1985, ‘Dust Production in the Sahel’, Nature 318, 488.
Hutton, J. T.: 1980, ‘Influence of Lack of Rain on the Amount of Calcium in Rain Collected at Mer- bein, Victoria’, in R. R. Storrier and M. E. Stannard (eds.), Aeolian Landscapes in the Semi-Arid Zone of Southeastern Australia, Australian Society of Soil Science, Riverina Branch, Wagga Wagga, pp. 55–56.
Hyers, A. D. and Marcus, M. G.: 1981, ‘Land Use and Desert Dust Hazards in Central Arizona’, in T. L. Péwé (ed.), Desert Dust, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, pp. 267–280.
Jauregui, E.: 1960, ‘Las Tolvaneras de la Ciudad de Mexico’, Ingeneria Hidraulica and Mexico 14, 60–66.
Jauregui, E.: 1969, ‘Aspectos Météorologicos de la Contaminación del Aire en la Ciudad de Mexico’, Ingeneria Hidraulica en Mexico 23, 17–28.
Jauregui, E.: 1973, ‘The Urban Climate of Mexico City’, Erdkunde 27, 298–307.
Jauregui, E.: 1989, ‘The Dust Storms of Mexico City’, International Journal of Climatology 9, 169–180.
Jauregui, E. and Klaus, D.: 1982, ‘Urban Effects on Precipitation in a Large Metropolis in the Tropics: The Case Study of Mexico City’, Erdkunde 36, 278–286 (in German).
Kalma, J. D., Speight, J. G., and Wasson, R. J.: 1988, ‘Potential Wind Erosion in Australia; A Continental Perspective’, Journal of Climatology 8, 411–428.
Kalu, A. E.: 1982, ‘Dust Outbreaks in Nigeria and a Synoptic Model for Their Prediction’, Thesis, University of Birmingham, 373 pp.
Kes, A. S.: 1983, ‘Study of Deflation Processes and Transfer of Salts and Dust’, Problems of Desert Development 1, 3–15 (in Russian).
Lamb, P. J.: 1982, ‘Persistence of Subsaharan Drought’, Nature 299, 46–48.
Lamb, P. J.: 1983, ‘Sub-Saharan Rainfall Update for 1982: Continued Drought’, Journal of Climatology 3, 419–422.
Lancaster, N.: 1984, ‘Characteristics and Occurrence of Wind Erosion Features in the Namib Desert’, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 9, 469–478.
Lean, G.: 1985, ‘Mali: The Next Domino’, Observer Magazine, 25 August, 12–19.
Leathers, C. R.: 1981, ‘Plant Components of Desert Dust in Arizona and Their Significance for Man’, in T. L. Péwé (ed.), Desert Dust, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, pp. 191–206.
Liu, T. S., Gu, X. F., An, Z. S., and Fan, Y. X.: 1981, ‘The Dust Fall in Bei**g, China, on April 18, 1980’, in T. L. Péwé (ed.), Desert Dust, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, pp. 149–157.
Littmann, T.: 1991, ‘Dust Storm Frequency in Asia: Climatic Control and Variability’, International Journal of Climatology 11, 393–412.
Lockeretz, W.: 1978, ‘The Lessons of the Dust Bowl’, American Scientist 66, 560–569.
Loewe, F.: 1943, ‘Duststorms in Australia’, Australian Meteorological Bureau Bulletin 28.
Logan, J.: 1974, ‘African Dusts as a Source of Solutes in Gran Canaria Ground Waters’, Geological Society of America Abstracts of Programme 6, 849.
Löye-Pilot, M. D., Martin, J. M., and Morelli, J.: 1986, ‘Influence of Saharan Dust on the Rainfall Acidity and Atmospheric Input to the Mediterranean’, Nature 321, 427–428.
McCauley, J. F., Breed, C. S., Grolier, M. J., and Mackinnon, D. J.: 1981, ‘The US Dust Storm of February 1977’, in T. L. Péwé (ed.), Desert Dust, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, pp. 123–147.
McFadden, L. D., Wells, S. G., and Jercinovich, M. L: 1987, ‘Influences of Eoliar and Pedogenic Processes on the Origin and Evolution of Desert Pavements’, Geology 15, 504–548.
McTainsh, G. H.: 1986, ‘A Dust Monitoring Programme for Desertification Control in West Africa’, Environmental Conservation 13, 17–25.
Maley, J.: 1982, ‘Dust, Clouds, Rain Types and Climatic Variations in Tropical North Africa’, Quaternary Research 18, 1–16.
Martin, R. J.: 1937, ‘Duststorms of January–April 1937 in the United States’, Monthly Weather Review 65, 151–152.
Mayer, L., McFadden, L. D., and Harden, J. W.: 1988, ‘Distribution of Calcium Carbonate in Desert Soils: A Model’, Geology 16, 303–306.
Middleton, N. J.: 1985a, ‘Effect of Drought on Dust Production in the Sahel’, Nature 316, 431–434.
Middleton, N. J.: 1985b, ‘Dust Production in the Sahel: Reply to M. Hulme’, Nature 318, 488.
Middleton, N. J.: 1986, ‘Dust Storms in the Middle East’, Journal of Arid Environments 10, 83–96.
Middleton, N. J.: 1987, Desertification and Wind Erosion in the Western Sahel: The Example of Mauritania, School of Geography, Oxford, Research Paper 40.
Middleton, N. J., Goudie, A. S., and Wells, G. L.: 1986, ‘The Frequency and Source Areas of Dust Storms’, in W. G. Nickling (ed.), Aeolian Geomorphology, Allen and Unwin, Boston, pp. 237–259.
Mitchell, J. M. Jr., Stockton, C. W., and Meko, D. M.: 1979, ‘Evidence of a 22 Year Rhythm of Drought in the Western United States Related to the Hale Solar Cycle since the 17th Century’, in B. M. McCormac and T. A. Seliga (eds.), Solar Terrestrial Influences on Weather and Climate, p. 125.
Morrison, G.: 1983, ‘West Africa's Wind That Blows Nobody Good’, The Times, 23 February, 1983.
Nakata, J. K., Wilshire, H. G., and Barnes, G. G.: 1981, ‘Origin of Mojave Desert Dust Storms Photographed from Space on January 1, 1973’, Geological Society of America Special Paper 186, 223–232.
Olsson, L.: 1983, ‘Desertification or Climate? Investigation Regarding the Relationship between Land Degradation and Climate in the Central Sudan’, Lund Studies in Geography, Series A, Physical Geography, No. 60, Lund, 36 pp.
Petrov, M. P.: 1976, Deserts of the World, Wiley, New York, 447 pp.
Prospero, J. M. and Nees, R. T.: 1977, ‘Dust Concentrations in the Atmosphere of the Equatorial North Atlantic; Possible Relationship to Sahelian Drought’, Science 196, 116–119.
Prospero, J. M. and Nees, R. T.: 1986, ‘Impact of the North African Drought and El Niño on Mineral Dust in the Barbados Trade Winds’, Nature 320, 735–738.
Pye, K.: 1987, Aeolian Dust and Dust Deposits, Academic Press, London.
Rea, D. K. and Leinen, M.: 1988, ‘Asian Aridity and the Zonal Westerlies: Late Pleistocene and Holocene Record of Eolian Deposition in the Northwest Pacific Ocean’, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 66, 1–8.
Reinking, R. F., Mathews, L. A., and St-Amand, P.: 1975, ‘Dust Storms Due to Desiccation of Owens Lake’, International Conference on Environmental Sensing and Assessment, September 14–19, IEEE, Las Vegas, NV, 1–9.
Riseborough, R. W, Huggett, R. J., Griffin, J. J., and Goldberg, E. D.: 1968, ‘Pesticides: Trans-Atlantic Movements in the North-East Trades’, Science 159, 1233–1236.
Sapozhnikova, S. A.: 1973, Map Diagram of the Number of Days with Dust Storms in the Hot Zone of the USSR and Adjacent Territories, Report HT-23–0027, US Army Foreign and Technology Center, Charlottesville.
SARH: 1985, Proyecto Texcoco, Comisión del Lago de Texcoco, Mexico City, 16 pp.
Sdasyuk, G. V: 1989; ‘Desertification: Socio-Economic Causes and Consequences’, Paper prepared at the Anglo-Soviet Seminar, Bristol, May 1989.
Summerfield, M. A.: 1983, ‘Silcrete’, in A. S. Goudie and K. Pye (eds.), Chemical Sediments and Geomorphology, Academic Press, London.
Syers, J. K., Jackson, M. L., Berkeiser, V. E, Clayton, R. N., and Rex, R. W.: 1969, ‘Eolian Sediment Influence on Pedogenesis during the Quaternary’, Soil Science 107, 421–427.
Thompson, D. F.: 1982, ‘Dust Storms and Some Factors Influencing Their Occurrence in Western New South Wales’, in R. J. Wasson, (ed.), Quaternary Dust Mantles of China, New Zealand and Australia, Proceedings of a workshop at the Australian National University, Canberra, December 3–5, 1980, pp. 127–138.
Trilsbach, A. and Hulme, M.: 1984, ‘Recent Rainfall Changes in Central Sudan and Their Physical and Human Implications’, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 9, 280–298.
UN: 1977, Desertification: Its Causes and Consequences, Pergamon, Oxford, 448 pp.
Whitney, M. I. and Dietrich, R. V.: 1973, ‘Ventifact Sculpture by Windblown Dust’, Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 84, 2561–2582.
Wigner, K. A. and Peterson, R. E.: 1987, ‘Synoptic Climatology of Blowing Dust in the Texas South Plains, 1947–84’, Journal of Arid Environments 13, 199–209.
Worster, D.: 1979, Dust Bowl, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Xu, G. C., Chen, M. L., and Wu, G. X.: 1979, ‘On an Extraordinary Heavy Sandstorm on April 22nd in Gansu’, Acta Meteorologica Sinica 37, 26–35 (in Chinese).
Zhang, D. E.: 1985, ‘Meteorological Characteristics of Dust Fall in China since the Historic Times’, in Liu, T. S. (ed.) Quaternary Geology and Environment of China, China Ocean Press, Bei**g.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goudie, A.S., Middleton, N.J. The changing frequency of dust storms through time. Climatic Change 20, 197–225 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00139839
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00139839