Just out of curiosity, are there ever sand storms ON BEACHES?

Question

I know this is a naive question.

But it doesn't hurt to ask just to be sure.

Do the proximity of the ocean and the desert temperatures influence on the harshness of the winds?

Answer 1

the sand zone on most beach areas is too narrow. near the ocean most of the sand is water saturated. in order for the wind to pick up the grains it has to completely dry. there are some areas where there is sufficient sand to form dunes. dune sand has been moved by wind, and a strong wind storm will move a lot of sand. in the desert, the wind can work dry sand for potentially hundreds of miles, making the sand part of the storm quite significant. most of the sand stays within a few feet of the ground even in the strongest wind. the spectacular photos from the arabian deserts are because they have kicked up dust as well which can lift up very high in the sky.

Answer 2

Excellent question. The answer is yes. The Namib Desert is a great example. The Namib Desert is located in Namibia, Africa, if you would like to look it up and do some research. I remember watching a program about elephants that live there. They are equipped to handle the blowing sand. I saw the program on Discovery Channel or National Geographic, several years ago.

Answer 3

No, not on beaches, can only be mild ones.