Thursday, October 18, 2012

Blowing Dust Causing Problems in Kansas

A body of blowing dust is progressing across the southern Plains at this hour on the edge of a very strong extratropical system in the Midwest.

Satellite imagery shows a swath of blowing dust currently hitting the Plains states, with Kansas and Oklahoma getting the worst of the dust. Many people underestimate the issues blowing dust can cause, so let's review what problems can arise from blowing dust, as small as some may be.

•Asthma is aggravated.
•Elderly people an children's respiratory systems may struggle to handle the foreign contaminants (dust particles)
•Damage to machinery that takes in air from the atmosphere- dust can enter the machine and cause it to malfunction.

All people are advised to stay inside, no matter your presence or lack of medical conditions related to the respiratory system until this passes by, which could take several hours.

Andrew

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I was in it. It was horrible. Sun was partially blocked behind dust (atmosphere was polluted with it) so it was safe to directly look at the sun and possibly see any spots. Later the sun got completely blocked and that was when the dust got at as it's most pollutant capabilities. Lungs went on overload and had allergies.

Reported to eSpotter that the pollution was bad. They received it but no problems with my report. Spotter Network would have blasted me. Very strict dudes!

Can't imagine being in a haboob. This dust stom was bad enough.