PHOENIX — Dust devils are rotating columns of wind that form when the sun unevenly heats the ground, creating an unstable environment that causes air to rise.
Dust devils most commonly occur in arid climates like the desert southwest. We typically see dust devils develop on clear, hot, dry afternoons.
While most dust devils aren't powerful enough to cause damage, the strongest ones can produce over 60 mph winds.
Here's how a dust devil forms:
First, the ground heats up faster than the air above it, especially in areas with different surfaces like dirt, concrete, and irrigated fields. The heated air is less dense than the cooler air above it, so it rapidly rises.
The rapidly rising air creates an area of low pressure, which causes air to rush in to fill the void. The updraft may begin to rotate as it vertically stretches, moving the mass closer to the axis of rotation and intensifying the spinning.
The inward flow causes hot air to speed horizontally into the bottom of the developing dust devil. The air circulation picks up dirt and dust, which makes the rapidly rotating column of air visible.
In Arizona, dust devils are most commonly seen along the stretch of I-10 between Chandler and Tucson.
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