A New Database for Dust Events and Dust Storms for the United States

Dust events, which impact millions across the US, are an important and complex constituent of the atmospheric system and are one of the main natural contributors to atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM). Atmospheric dust particles affect the climate, economy, and environment, as well as human well-being and health. Dust events in the US can be of varying intensities (blowing dust vs. dust storm) and types (synoptic vs. convective), but their distributions (spatial, temporal, or type) and impacts across the US are unclear. Therefore, there is a need to better understand the spatial and temporal distributions of dust events, the meteorological conditions that initiate them, and those measured during them. Currently, there is no database that provides information on dust events across the US or one that distinguishes between dust events and DUST storms. This new dust database will include the identification of dust events and dust storms by ground meteorological stations spread across the US, with confirmation of each dust event using different tools (including changes in PM, satellite images, IMPROVE, AERONET, etc.). Information on this new upcoming dust database will be presented.