Dust storms Archives - Disasters News

Apr182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

China New iDust Tool Revolutionizes Dust Storm Forecasting Boosts Solar Energy Reliability

In a significant leap for clean energy forecasting, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have unveiled iDust an advanced prediction system that could transform how we manage solar power in dust-prone regions. Developed by Dr. Chen Xi and his team at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, iDust offers high-resolution, faster forecasts of dust storms, helping protect solar infrastructure and maximize power output. Dust storms common in desert and semi-arid areas, pose a major threat to solar farms by blocking sunlight and coating panels with dust, slashing their efficiency. “Dust storms not only block sunlight but also accumulate on solar panels, decreasing their power output,” said Dr. Chen, who led the study recently published in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Syste...

Study Finds Dust Storms Cost US $154B Annually Impacting Healthcare

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

A new study in Nature Sustainability reveals that wind erosion and blowing dust cost the U.S. economy around $154 billion each year, impacting healthcare, transportation, agriculture, energy, and households. Conducted by researchers from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), George Mason University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the study highlights the growing societal burden of dust storms, which are worsened by human land use, drought, and declining water resources. Thomas Gill, Ph.D., a UTEP earth sciences professor, emphasized the significance of these findings. "Blowing dust is a major expense and creates great societal harm," he said, comparing its costs to those of hurricanes and other natural disasters. Healthcare costs make up a significant portion of the tot...

Dust Storms: The Growing Environmental Crisis of the 21st Century

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Dust storms an environmental disaster many associate with the 1930s Dust Bowl, are making a dramatic comeback on a global scale, threatening human health, economies, and ecosystems. As a result of deforestation, water mismanagement, unsustainable farming practices, desertification, and climate change, the frequency and intensity of dust storms are increasing, covering more geographical regions and posing serious risks to life and infrastructure. A Global Threat The dust storms of the Dust Bowl era caused immense damage to the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies, but today's storms are spreading far beyond those borders. Dust particles, light enough to be carried by wind over vast distances, are now crossing continents, disregarding political boundaries. Area...