Analysis of a saline dust storm from the Aralkum Desert – Part 2: Atmospheric flow precursors in the Euro-Atlantic region

Authors

Xin Xi, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-28-2025

Department

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Abstract

Wind-blown dust emissions from the man-made Aralkum Desert pose significant environment and human health risks across Central Asia. Yet, little is known about the atmospheric circulation patterns favoring dust outbreaks from the region. This study examines the role of upstream atmospheric blocking and recurrent transient Rossby wave packets (RWPs) in initiating a severe dust storm from the Aralkum Desert in May 2018. Results show that the dust event was triggered by an unusual early-summer cold air outbreak and attendant postfrontal northerly winds reaching 24–31 m/s. The compound cold air and dust outbreaks were preceded by repeated meridional flow amplification linked to recurrent RWPs across the North Atlantic, persistent blocking over Scandinavia, and the subsequent development of a pronounced ridge-trough couplet that facilitated cold intrusions into Kazakhstan. This study underscores the importance of Euro-Atlantic blocking systems in shaping surface weather hazards in the downstream Central Asia region.

Publisher's Statement

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2808

Publication Title

EGUsphere [preprint]

Recommended Citation

Xi, X. (2025). Analysis of a saline dust storm from the Aralkum Desert – Part 2: Atmospheric flow precursors in the Euro-Atlantic region. EGUsphere [preprint]. http://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2808
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/2274

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Version

Preprint