Aerosol concentrations of mineral dust directly affect visibility, health and daily civilian and military operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. The United States Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) has supported development of a dust forecast model which uses MM5 weather data to make 72 hour forecasts of dust storms. The Dust Transport Application (DTA) model has been shown to have good forecasting skill over the Middle East and Southwest Asia, and has been in operational use since 2002 at AFWA. Currently we are developing new versions of the dust forecast model using GFS and WRF weather data.

A measurement campaign using 8-stage DRUM instruments was conducted in Kuwait in 2005 to measure the aerosol size distribution of dust particles and to analyze the samples using X-ray fluorescence. Results show that mineral dust in this region is unique in having elements associated with petroleum refining. These elements were not found in measured dust aerosols samples made in South Korea. Fine dust particulates smaller than 2 microns were found to be present even during non-dust storm periods in the Kuwait samples. These particulates could pose ongoing health risks.