Roxane from Chicago had an encounter with a dust devil on Saturday July 9 in the Des Plaines area. As the dust devil passed over, her car shook and everything inside the car was flying about. Once it passed, Roxane was able to take this spectacular picture.
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Photo by Roxane
Dust devils can occur on sunny, warm days when winds are light. An archived Ask Tom Why question will help explain how they form.
October 19, 1998
Dear Tom,
What are dust devils? When and where do they occur the most? Do they ever cause damage?
Nancy Morton Grove, Ill.
Dear Nancy,
Dust devils are small, vigorous whirlwinds that are seen moving slowly across the countryside. They form on sunny summer days when winds are light, and occur in open areas, over sandy or rocky fields, even large parking lots — where the sun has strongly heated the ground. Dust devils can be up to 100 feet in diameter, though most are much smaller, and they extend from the ground upward several hundred feet into clear air. Air within dust devils swirls around in a tight circle, clockwise or counterclockwise, and rises in corkscrew fashion, carrying aloft dust that enables us to see the wind circulation. They are not related to tornadoes (which extend downward from thunderstorm clouds) and their winds, 20-40 m.p.h., are too weak to inflict damage.
Copyright © 2005, WGN-TV
Steve Kahn WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune Meteorologist
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