sandstorm

A dust storm is a strong, violent wind that carries fine particles like silt, clay, dust and other materials for long distances. The fine particles swirl around in the air during the storm. The scary thing about a dust storm is that they can spread over hundreds of miles and rise over 10,000 feet (305 meters). They also have wind speeds of at least 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers). Dust storms don't just happen in the middle of the desert. They happen in any dry area where loose dirt can easily be picked up. Grains of sand tossed into the air by the wind usually fall back down to the ground after a few hours. Smaller bits of particles stay in the air for a week or longer and can be blown thousands of miles away. Dust from the Sahara desert is always blown across the Atlantic causing bright red sunrises and sunsets in Miami. The dust doesn't stop there. It keeps traveling as far as the Caribbean and the Amazon basin.