Dust Storm Strikes Mongolia; Forecast of Strong Winds and Heavy Snow in the Coming Days

A dust storm has struck the central province of Tuv in Mongolia on Thursday, March 3.

The Mongolian Traffic Police Department stated it has caused poor visibility on roads and urged motorists to take precautions for potential accidents.

Dust Storm Weather Forecast

The Mongolia National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring (NEMHEM) issued a weather forecast that heavy snow, strong winds, and yellow dust storms are expected to occur in the central, eastern, and southern regions of Mongolia in the coming days, as cited by Xinhua News.

The Chinese media agency has also cited the observation of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, stating that dust storms, strong winds, and snowstorms have been recurring during the spring season.

The government body also attributed the frequency of dust storms to climate change.

The Dust Storm of March 2021

Thursday's natural phenomenon occurred a year after the worst dust storm was recorded in Mongolia, China, and its surrounding East Asian countries over the past decade.

In March 2021, several dust storms occurred during the region's spring season.

In Mongolia, around 10 people, including nomadic herders, have been reported killed.

The dust storm during last year's spring season in the region has also led to the deaths of thousands of livestock due to strong winds and severe weather in the country.

New Research

The dust storm has been dormant in the region for many years, as per Mirage News. As a result, a group of researchers was led by Professor Yang Xiaoping from the Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, to study the dust storm, notably the desert system and its environmental repercussions.

The research group published their work in the journal Science Bulletin in January this year.

The study explored the dust cycle and acknowledged its importance on the planet.

However, the researchers said dust storms have severe environmental impacts worldwide, especially in East Asia.

The researchers collected samples from the large-scale dust storm that occurred on March 15 and March 16 in 2021.

The collection aimed to determine the natural behavior and pathway of the dust storm that may be used to predict related weather storms in the future.

Through geochemical analysis and remote sensing, the team concluded the March 2021 dust storm was the worst dust storm in China over the past decade, and it originated from China's western Taklamakan Desert located in the autonomous region of Xinjiang.

Climate Change

Being dormant for several years, the emergence of the ongoing dust storm in Mongolia and last year's storm was likely a manifestation of climate change and global warming.

Over recent years, various research has revealed that the global sea level continues to rise due to warming temperatures.

Countries worldwide are also challenged to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases since this contributes and accelerates the greenhouse gas effect, a natural process that traps the gases in the atmosphere, causing the absorption of solar energy from Earth's surface.