March is traditionally a kite flying month, because of all the wind. And now we're well into April and it has even been windier than ever lately, including dust devils, as they used to call whirlwinds in these parts.
Dust devils form as a swirling updraft under sunny conditions during fair weather, rarely coming close to the intensity of a tornado, according to Wikipedia. But their wind speed can reach as high as 75 mph or even more so on rare occasions where people and property can actually be endangered.
Dust devils do indeed mostly form under a bright sunny sky and we've certainly had a lot of that the last few days. And yes they are mostly small enough so as not to harm people or property, but I have seen them dislodge little sand pebbles that can do a number on your windshield, especially if you are driving forward into one.
The bottom line is that hopefully the rest of April will eventually blow in some rain or even snow. (Any white stuff would be short-lived this time of the year.) Don't they say that April showers bring May flowers? We'll certainly hope that is the case during the remainder of the month.
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