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Dust storms in the Mojave Desert, April 15, 2002

Sources active during large, regional windstorms identify targets to improve the understanding of southwestern dust and the recognition of potential health hazards. For example, geostationary satellite images documented numerous sources of dust in the Mojave Desert and on the Colorado Plateau during the windstorm of April 15, 2002, when at least several million metric tons were emitted from the central Mojave Desert alone. Major sources included playas, agricultural fields, and a military base. The arrival that day of two very large dust plumes into the highly urbanized Las Vegas Valley, Nevada coincided with large, rapid increases in levels of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers). Within 30 minutes, PM10 increased from 100-250 µg/m³ to 1,100-1,500 µg/m³, representing levels an order of magnitude greater than U.S. air-quality standards.