Giant Wall Of Sand

Xiomy · #1 ● 03-27-2011, 03:37 PM

I know these pics aren't "technically" gore but i didn't know where else to post them...

I think it happened somewhere in the middle east and it looks to be some type of military base
all it said was that the sand storm kicked up sand to about 30 feet high.

Viking64 · #2 ● 03-27-2011, 03:42 PM

It think that's a little higher than 30 feet.

Xiomy · #3 ● 03-27-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by viking64 ↗

It think that's a little higher than 30 feet.

Faline · #4 ● 03-27-2011, 03:50 PM

Yep that's high

Pelle · #5 ● 03-27-2011, 06:00 PM

Holy shieeet!

gatagato · #6 ● 03-27-2011, 06:34 PM

Spectacular images, thanks!

I guess it's the Haboob that struck Al Asad Airbase, IRAQ, on 26 April 2005.

4/26/2005 By Gunnery Sgt. Shannon Arledge, 2nd Marine Air Wing

AL ASAD, Iraq —
A dust storm similar to special effects on the big screen bellowed across the western desert of Iraq on April 26. The storm was spawned near the border of Syria and Jordan. Forward Operating Base Korean Village experienced tornadoes around 2 p.m. The storm moved in a northeasterly direction until it reached Al Asad, around 6:45. Weather forecasters here described the storm as a downburst. "A downburst is a strong downdraft resulting in an outward burst of damaging winds at ground level," said Gunnery Sgt. John B. Badeaux, weather forecaster for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). "Downburst winds can produce damage similar to a strong tornado," he added. The ensuing storm increased energy as the winds pushed over the desert, which created a wall of dirt. According to weather officials a dust storm this strong is extremely rare for this region of Iraq.Badeaux said these types of conditions make forecasting difficult in a desert environment. "There are absolutely no indicators that allow forecasters to confidently predict the timing and intensity of a storm like this."According to forecasters, thunderstorms were observed on satellite 30 to 40 miles from Al Asad. However, no thunderstorms or tornadoes were recorded on the air base.As the storm moved closer the sky changed to a shade of orange until total darkness blanketed the ground. The storm passed over in about 45 minutes, leaving a heavy sheet of dust in its wake. Forecaster say the wall of dust may have reached 4,000 to 5,000 feet. Editors Note: This dust storm was a spectacular sight and may look worse than it actually was. No one was injured and no equipment was damaged here.

Article from U.S. Marine Corps Web Site

Article from Snopes

BBC News

<embed id=VideoPlayback src=http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-1447064212122697074&hl=it&fs=true style=width:400px;height:326px allowFullScreen=true allowScriptAccess=always type=application/x-shockwave-flash> </embed>

güttsfükk · #7 ● 03-27-2011, 06:38 PM

I have seen these as part of another Article which says they''re taken in Iraq.

I havent bothered taking out the ones that were already posted bu here's the article :

Dust and Sand Storm Formation
Dust and sand storms are a persistent problem in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Upper African Countries and other areas in the Middle East, but they are most prevalent in the spring and summer months due to the strong (northwesterly shamal) winds that characterize the weather during the winter-spring seasonal transition. Specifically, dust and sand storms occur when the strong (mostly dry) storms — that often accompany well-defined cold fronts — stir up these particles. Dust and sand lift both ahead of and (even more so) behind cold fronts (since winds tend to be stronger behind the front than ahead of it). This seasonal trend can best be characterized as a combination of two separate weather systems: the sub-tropical jet stream pushing up from south of the Arabian Peninsula and a polar front jet stream pushing down from the European continent. When these two systems come into close proximity, they create much more dynamic weather than is usually found in this region, especially the strong northwesterly “shamal” winds (shamal winds at several Southwest Asia international airports have been recorded as high as 43 knots or 49 mph).

The larger the particles, the stronger the wind required to lift them into the air. But for there to be any long-range transport, there also needs to be considerable vertical motion. The vertical speed determines how much the particulate matter is lifted into the air. Another factor that influences the impact of the shamal is the dampness of the sand. Even a very small amount of precipitation can keep a tremendous amount of sand from entering the air (although the very dry conditions that predominate in Iraq mean that there is a high probability that strong sandstorms can arise — as recent events have shown).

The unique topography and human intervention within the region also contribute to the frequency and intensity of dust and sand storms in this area. The natural funneling of large air masses by the high mountains in Turkey and Iran, combined with the high plateaus in Saudi Arabia, help to funnel air across the Mediterranean into the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, many Iraqi wetlands have been drained for agriculture or seriously deprived of water by reservoirs upstream. This exacerbates dust as wind lifts dry silt from exposed lake and marsh beds.