Do Dust Devils Form in Northern Arizona?
Dust devils can form anywhere in Arizona, due to a combination of our southern latitude and increased solar heating, our dry sandy soil types, and large areas of lightly vegetated terrain. Because of the necessity of warm clear days and light winds, dust devils occur most frequently over Northern Arizona in the months of May and June, but can occur at anytime during the year under the right conditions. Dust devils are most prevalent in the desert regions, but can occur even in the forests of the Mogollon Rim. A good place to look for dust devils is along the boundary between irrigated fields or forest meadows and dry, sunbaked ground or dirt roadways, usually between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is most intense. On September 14, 2000, a large well-defined dust devil hit the Coconino County Fairgrounds causing property damage and personal injuries. Tents were blown down and a ticket booth was knocked over. A large wooden beam in one of the pavailions was split due to the strong winds
