wind damage - NatureWeatherHub

What Is a Dust Devil? The Whirlwind Science Explained

July 27, 2026July 25, 2026 by Zay Lin Oo

A dramatic desert landscape under a bright sky, where the uneven heating of the ground creates perfect conditions for dust devil formation.

Lois Grippen was working the ticket booth at the Coconino County Fairgrounds when the afternoon turned strange. The sky stayed blue. The sun kept burning. But somewhere near the midway, a column of dust started spinning. It grew from a wisp into a tower of swirling dirt and straw within seconds. Grippen heard tents ripping … Read more

What Is a Microburst? The 100-mph Downburst That Hits Without Warning

July 26, 2026July 25, 2026 by Zay Lin Oo

Isolated supercell thunderstorm over open prairie at dusk with a visible rain shaft descending toward the ground, dramatic golden-hour storm light breaking through dark clouds

Captain Edward Connors had 30 seconds. His Lockheed L-1011 was on final approach to Dallas-Fort Worth, descending through a summer thunderstorm on August 2, 1985. The airspeed indicator flickered. A sudden headwind pushed the nose up, then a tailwind slammed it down. The wings lost lift. Delta Flight 191 struck the ground a mile from … Read more