Dry Storm: What is it, how it forms and consequences

A dry storm is a meteorological phenomenon in which they occur Lightning and thundertypical of a storm, but with little or no precipitation. That is, all the signs of a storm are observed, such as dark clouds, electrical activity and strong windsbut the rain that falls is not enough to significantly wet the ground.

This type of storms are common in Arid and semi -arid areaswhere high temperatures and low humidity can make any precipitation evaporate before reaching the ground. Dry storms are especially Dangerous in Forest Fire -prone regionssince the rays can easily turn on dry vegetation, starting forest fires that spread rapidly due to lack of moisture.

In addition, dry storms can Cause other problemssuch as the production of strong winds that can lift dust and sand, reducing visibility and affecting air quality. These winds can also damage structures and hinder the driving conditions on roads and open areas.

The formation of a dry storm follows a process similar to that of a conventional storm, but with certain specific conditions that prevent the fall of a significant amount of rain.

1. It all starts with the air warming close to the earth’s surface. Solar radiation heats the ground, which in turn heats the air that is just above.
2. The hot airthat is less dense, Start ascending. As it goes up, expands and cools.
3. When ascending air It cools Up to its point of dew, the water vapor in the air is condensed forming small drops of water and ice crystals, which gives rise to the formation of cloud clouds. With sufficient rise and cooling, these clouds can evolve to clouds clouds-nimboswhich are responsible for the storms.
4. In a typical storm, the air continues to rise, accumulate more moisture and form larger and dense clouds. This leads to the production of significant rainfall. However, in a dry storm, The air is so dry that the rain that is generated in the cloud It can evaporate before reaching the ground.
5. Despite the lack of significant precipitation, ascending and descending currents within the cloud can generate electric charge. The separation of loads within the cloud results in the formation of Rays and thunder.

In Arid regions, hot and hot air Near the surface contributes to the rapid evaporation of any precipitation that tries to reach the ground. This process is reinforced by descending winds that are characteristic of storms, which can dry the environment even more.

Dry storms are usually formed in arid or semi -arid climates, where moisture in the atmosphere is insufficient to allow precipitation to reach the ground. The combination of high temperatures, low humidity and strong air currents contributes to the rapid evaporation of any rain that occurs, resulting in a storm with a lot of electrical activity but little or no precipitation.

The consequences of a dry storm can be diverse already dangerous, especially in arid and fire -prone regions. These are some of them:

Forest fires

One of the most significant and dangerous consequences of dried storms is the risk of forest fires. Rays that accompany these storms can easily light dry vegetation, starting fires that can spread rapidly due to the lack of soil and air humidity.

Here we tell you how to prevent forest fires.

Air quality reduction

Strong winds associated with dried storms can lift dust and sand, creating dust storms that reduce visibility and affect air quality. This can have health consequences, especially for people with respiratory problems.

In this link you can know what is and how air quality is measured.

Damage to infrastructure

Strong winds and descending currents of air can cause significant damage to buildings, electric lines and other infrastructure. Winds can start roofs, turn vehicles and tear down trees.

Visibility and traffic problems

Dust storms generated by strong winds can drastically reduce visibility on roads, increasing the risk of traffic accidents. In open areas, visibility can be reduced to almost zero in minutes.

Water stress

In regions where water is already a scarce resource, the lack of precipitation during a dry storm aggravates water stress. This can affect agriculture, drinking water supply and other water uses, exacerbating drought conditions.

In this other post we talk about water stress: what is, causes, consequences and how to avoid it.

Impact on agriculture

The combination of strong winds, dust and lack of rain can have devastating effects on crops. Dust is able to damage plants and lack of water can prevent proper growth of crops, reducing agricultural productivity.

Soil erosion

Strong winds can take the upper land layer, especially in areas where vegetation is scarce. This contributes to soil erosion, which can degrade the earth and make it less fertile and less capable of supporting plant life.

Know more about what is the erosion of the soil: causes and consequences here.

Health problems

The reduction of air quality due to dust and suspended particles can cause respiratory problems, allergies and other health conditions. People with asthma, chronic pulmonary diseases and other respiratory conditions can be especially affected.

Now you know better what a dry storm is, how it is formed and its consequences. We invite you to read this article about electrometeoros: what are, types and examples.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dry Storm: What is it, how it forms and consequenceswe recommend that you enter our category of meteorological phenomena.