Apocalypse in Qatar! A sandstorm swept the cities

A case study is presented of the environmental background for a massive Saudi Arabian dust storm event that took place on summer 2021. The dust storm was large enough to be clearly seen from outer space and caused a widespread heavy atmospheric dust load, very low visibility, total airport shutdown, and damage to vehicles and trees across northern and central parts of Saudi Arabia. The precursor and supportive environment for this dust storm outbreak are investigated, drawing upon routine synoptic data and satellite imagery. Analytical evidence is offered to suggest that this dust storm was triggered and sustained by a cold front passage coincident with the propagation of a preexisting intense upperlevel jet streak. The major plume of dust storm originated from several rich dust source areas extending across two regions—the Qasim region and the Adibdibah and As-Summan Plateau region. The intensity and frequency of dust storms triggered from these active areas of dust emissions seem to be dominated by a response to the amount of precipitation. The dust storm of summer 2021 was one of the most severe dust storms to be recorded on the Arabian Peninsula due to both the large scale and severity of the event. The gigantic dust plume impacted several cities in the northeastern, eastern, and central parts of Saudi Arabia and most of Kuwait, covering a distance of about 1,500 km and an area of approximately 300,000 km2. However, no media statement had been released prior to the event reaching Riyadh, alarming and recommending precautions for sensitive populations. Consequently, this dust storm, which left thousands of people choking on heavily dust-polluted air, is associated with an enormous increase in respiratory hospital admissions in the city of Riyadh. In addition, the associated low visibility resulted in many group car accidents in several parts of the city. During the event, hourly visibility of 50 m was reported in Riyadh and Qaisummah, whereas hourly visibility of 100 m was reported in Hafr Al-Batin and Dhahran. #qatar #sandstorm #saudiarabia #news #wtf #god #2021 #doha #disasters #apocalypse