Scientists in Abu Dhabi found that the mammoth 'Godzilla' dust storm that blew to the US from the Sahara in June may have been caused by lower ice levels in the Arctic.
Their research indicates that climate change may be having unexpected consequences for global weather patterns that extend well beyond temperature increases.
Godzilla was caused by thousands of tonnes of sand from the Sahara being lifted several kilometres into the sky before being blown westward across the Atlantic.
The storm blanketed major US cities such as Houston, Texas, with clouds of dust, much of which came from Mauritania, Mali and Niger at the southern edge of the Sahara.
In their paper, published in Geophysical Research Letters, researchers suggest that the low level of Arctic sea ice cover – which was at its least extent for decades in June this year – may have contributed to the conditions that caused Godzilla.
Arctic sea ice influences weather circulation around the world, said Dr Diana Francis, a senior scientist at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, and the paper's first author.
“Losing polar ice changes the temperature gradient between high latitudes and the tropics/subtropics, which is then translated into changes in the atmospheric circulation that, in turn, can be manifested in extreme events such as the Godzilla dust storm,” she said.
“In my view, it is not just by coincidence that the Arctic sea ice extent was the lowest on record in June 2020 and the most intense dust storm from the Sahara occurred also in June 2020. But more investigation is needed to establish the exact link.”
Godzilla resulted from a large-scale weather anomaly involving unusually strong north-easterly winds over the Sahara.
These winds were created because of a pressure gradient between a subtropical high off Africa's west coast and the monsoon low-pressure area and whipped up vast quantities of dust for days on end.
The scale and thickness of the huge plumes meant they were visible from space as they moved westward over the Atlantic before making landfall – and headlines – in the Caribbean and the US.
"The interconnections between weather patterns around the globe is well illustrated by the June event," Dr Francis said.
“The atmosphere is an efficient means by which changes in the climate over a certain region can [affect] another region in a very short period of time – in the order of a few days.”
Levels of Arctic sea ice have dropped by more than half in the past four decades and continue to drop by more than 10 per cent a year.
Because of the effects of Arctic sea ice, the scientists predict that severe dust storms could become more frequent.
“If such patterns become more common in a warmer world, it is plausible that these extreme dust outbreaks will increase in frequency in the future,” the researchers wrote.
While the latest work focuses on a dust storm in the US, previous research indicated that warming in the Arctic could be influencing sand storms in the UAE and other parts of the Gulf. Such events could become more common in this region too.
In a study last year, Dr Francis, along with other researchers, suggested severe dust storms in the Arabian Peninsula in September 2015 were linked to a warmer Arctic and changes in the circulation of the polar jet stream, a powerful wind pattern in the upper atmosphere.
"The frequency of extreme events in the Gulf region may increase in the future based on what we have seen in the past two decades and if the projected increase in desertification in the region is not mitigated by human-made initiatives such as planting trees and increasing vegetation cover," Dr Francis said.
In previous studies, some carried out while Dr Francis was at New York University Abu Dhabi, she and her colleagues identified other alterations in global circulation patterns resulting from a changing Arctic climate.
For example, as well as being blown to the US, sand from the Sahara gets transported to the Arctic itself and, because of climate change, is now travelling there by a more direct route.
Once there, as previously reported in The National, it can increase the absorption of sunlight, leading to greater melting of ice, which has consequences for the global climate.
The latest research was also authored by Khalifa University researchers Dr Ricardo Fonseca, Dr Narendra Nelli and Michael Weston, along with scientists in France and the US.
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Company%20profile
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THREE
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18
Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
Getting%20there%20
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Napoleon
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE%20ILT20
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