GOODYEAR, Ariz. — If you live in the west Valley, you may have spotted a dust devil spiraling through the Goodyear area Wednesday afternoon.
One quick way to differentiate it from a tornado is that dust devils typically form during fair/sunny weather and they form from the ground up. Tornadoes, form from severe t-storms and descend from the cloud to the ground.
Dust devils are typically less intense than tornadoes but can still pack a punch, generating winds up to 60 mph in some stronger ones. Their width can range anywhere from 10-300 feet and they can ascend anywhere between 500 and 1,000 feet tall!
Dust devils typically form between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun angle is the highest and on sunny days with light winds.
During the midday and early afternoon hours, the daytime sun can heat the ground rapidly. This results in an area of low pressure that develops at the surface, which forms rising air.
As the air lifts, more air rushes in to fill the low and the circulation builds. This is when the dust devil will build vertically from the ground up. It is self-sustaining and can pick up dirt and debris, especially as the circulation strengthens.
Most of the time, dust devils only last a few minutes. Eventually, cooler air is picked up within the circulation and the dust devil will weaken.
Arizona Weather
Arizona has seen its fair share of severe weather. Here is a compilation of videos from various storms across the Grand Canyon state.