Resolution 7478 hazard mitigation

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2024 Hennepin County All -Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume 2 — Hazard Inventory :: Hazard Assessment: DUST STORM 4.3.9.1. Definition A dust storm is a strong, violent wind that carries fine particles such as silt, sand, clay, and other materials, often for long distances. The fine particles swirl around in the air during the storm. A dust storm can spread over hundreds of miles, rise over 10,000 feet, and can have wind speeds of at least 25 miles per hour. Dust storms usually arrive with little warning and advance in the form of a big wall of dust and debris. A common name for dust storms is Haboob, which comes from Arabic word habb meaning wind. 4.3.9.2. Range of Magnitude There are two main kinds of dust storms; one where the dust is carried along the surface, and the other where dust is lifted high into the atmosphere. Each of these dust storm types can happen individually, or together at the same time. If these two types of storms happen together at the same time, there is the potential for greater magnitude of consequences versus each type individually. Below are a few examples of dust storms from the National Climatic Data Center that have occurred in the United States since 1950. • Most Recent, Minnesota: May 12, 2022: Blowing dust ahead of a serial derecho (a type of fast- moving extreme thunderstorm wind) spread from eastern Nebraska to Sioux Falls, SD, and up through western Minnesota, dropping visibility below % mile, with zero visibility reported in places. A lighter wave of blowing dust entered the western Twin Cities area, including Hennepin County. • Longest Distance: May 17, 2001, Dust from a storm in China traveled across the ocean and deposited dust from Alaska to Florida. • Most Costly: June 101h, 2013, Humboldt, Nevada, $1.5 million Property Damage • Deadliest: October 13, 2009, SW S.J. Valley, 3 fatalities 4.3.9.3. Spectrum of Consequences B211b Dust storms can have environmental, health, social, and economic consequences. Health consequences include poor air quality due to the increase in breathable suspended particles in the air which can be almost an instant consequence with people choking on dust or a consequence from particles suspended over time. Environmental consequence can be dust deposition on the landscape which can cause drying of leaves, and negative growth of plant and damage to crops. Some of the social impacts can be road and aviation accidents due to the poor visibility. Economic impacts can include damage to structures, and roads, costs associated with cleaning of infiltrated dust inside the houses and buildings, costs associated with accidents, material, crop, and production loss. On 75 million acres of land in the United States alone, wind erosion is still a dominant problem, with four to five million acres moderately to severely damage each year. 153