After being out in a plowed over corn field today, and it having dry soil with dried corn shucks out in this field and somewhat of a light breeze, not even 10 mph, and a September sun with temperatures in the mid 80s, I live about 35 miles from Memphis Tn. I saw more dust devils today than I have in the last several years combined. Many of these were small. Some were pretty good size though. I also noticed that they formed in roughly the same area. Three or four traveled the same path within maybe 100 feet of each other. They all with the exception of two or three would move west. I saw I think, 3 of them in succession. Watching them was really cool. I also like getting out into the center of 'em. But I got to thinking after seeing so many today (about 15 in the 30 minutes I was out there) that they may be more common than what I had earlier thought. You really can't see them except the debris they pick up and swirl around. (DUH!) What do you people think about their frequency?
2006-09-09 18:53:04 · 5 answers · asked by wanna fanna out 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
How do they form? Please read this...no need to copy/paste.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devils#Formation
What do I think about their frequency?
Well, on a few occaisions, I've seen a bunches of them too on the order of scale that you've mentioned...in Iowa, Illinois, North & South Dakota, Nebraska and California (Central Valley & Death Valley). I thought they were all awesome to watch!
2006-09-09 21:30:25 · answer #1 · answered by tbom_01 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dust devils are formed when a low pressure area developes suddenly. Then, the air from nearby high pressure region tends to fill the low pressure area. This way, the wind starts rotating about the low pressure area or vice versa happens.
on a large scale, we call them hurricanes and on a small scale, we call them a dust devil.
for further info, visit
http://www.howstuffworks.com
2006-09-10 02:04:08 · answer #2 · answered by ankit pruthi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In Australia we call them "willy willlys".
They are caused by differential heating of the air over a land surface. At one spot, for some reason, the air heats up faster then that around it. As you know, hot air rises. As this air rises the air around the hot air rushes in to take its place. Due to the Coreolous (sp) Effect, the direction of air flow is "bent" thus causing a circular flow of this air.
Hope this helps.
2006-09-10 01:59:43 · answer #3 · answered by jemhasb 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
they are truly baby tornadoes
2006-09-10 01:59:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they usually come from hell!
2006-09-12 10:59:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋