From what I've read in the news and on a U.S. Marines website, this storm was caused by a microburst that kicked up the wicked looking torrent of sand. This reminds me of the special effects shots in the movie "The Mummy"....amazing!
http://www.beddoe.com/photos2/sandstorm/index.html ~0 ~0 ~0
Sand Storm from HELL in Al Asad, Iraq - U.S. Marine Base
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Tim in N FL
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Looks just like a haboob which are semi-common to the American SW. It almost looks to big to be sparked by a microburst. I was under the impression that microbursts were smaller in scale, but then again when there is nothing to keep the sand down anything can happen. ~0 Whatever caused it I still wouldn't want to be there. I bet that made any tactical missions imposible!!
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Tim in N FL
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Graham,
Good catch...I stand corrected. The following Marines website chronicled the event and called it a "downburst" which are evidently quite rare in that part of the desert. Check out the story at:
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn20 ... enDocument
Best,
Tim
Good catch...I stand corrected. The following Marines website chronicled the event and called it a "downburst" which are evidently quite rare in that part of the desert. Check out the story at:
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn20 ... enDocument
Best,
Tim