AUSTIN (KXAN) — An impressive and long-lasting dust devil was spotted just outside the city of Bastrop, Texas, on Tuesday. The video capturing this fascinating weather phenomenon was recorded from the road by “Rancher Mike” and sent to Nexstar’s KXAN.
A dust devil, also known as a whirlwind, is a narrow column of rotating air that typically forms on hot days with light winds. These light winds prevent mixing in the atmosphere, allowing ground temperatures to rise much higher than the air just above the surface.
This temperature difference creates rising motion in the air. However, rising air alone may not be enough to form a dust devil. When there are different surface materials—such as dust, sand, concrete, or asphalt—located close to one another, the varying rates of heating can trigger a vortex of rotating air. This vortex surges upward toward the relatively cooler air above.
While many dust devils produce lower-intensity winds that cause no problems, some can generate damaging wind gusts exceeding 60 mph.
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