5/4/2005: Sandstorm arrives

Strategypage had a great gallery of what they see in Iraq when a sandstorm arrives... a wall of sand traveling at 60 MPH.

And then it's on top of you:

That looks like something out of Dune ...

Would someone who has phot .... digital photo manipulation software please add Shai-hulud into one of those?

I saw these pictures on EHOWA the other day and yesterday somebody emailed a pdf of the same thing with 15 pictures but it doesn't really show any more than these.
I guess this kind of storm would bury a caravan. Probably have to keep getting the camels up to keep them on top of the sand. I guess the lungs would work the stuff up and out eventually. :vomitblu:

Here's your big nasty worm.

o shit.

where's my lens cap?

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

...snip... I guess the lungs would work the stuff up and out eventually. :vomitblu:

Only for about 43 years if you live in Afghanistan:
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html

About 69 if you (can) live in Iraq

I think living in either place I'd put sand inhalation pretty low on my worry list. :worried:

*thunderous round of applause*

Excellent work Cochese!!

Thanks! :)

Fucking hell. Can you survive after one of them compounds you? They don't look too worried. If it's only going at 60mph why don't they escape in their speedy looking trucks?

Think of it as a really enthusiastic exfoliation ...

macro-dermabrasion...

I think you'd be at risk of having your bones etched.

This explains everything. We're not there for the oil...we're there for the Spice.

Catwoman wrote:

Fucking hell. Can you survive after one of them compounds you? They don't look too worried. If it's only going at 60mph why don't they escape in their speedy looking trucks?

One of the pictures in the other set I saw, showed a guy walking around outside in his shirtsleeves and a respirator like car painters use. It appears he was concerned about breathing but not abrasion.
Oh, wait...he was a US Marine. :smack:

i got caught out in the open when one of these rolled through the Al Kharj, KSA area about this time 11 years ago. put the goggles on, cover as much of the skin as possible, a couple layers of handkerchief around the nose and mouth... it was all good. wish i had a camera. 30 minutes start to finish and sand piled up one side of my vehicle like neat little snowdrift in the midwest.

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

One of the pictures in the other set I saw, showed a guy walking around outside in his shirtsleeves and a respirator like car painters use. It appears he was concerned about breathing but not abrasion.
Oh, wait...he was a US Marine. :smack:

What the heck is the US Marine comment supposed to mean?

mlandman wrote:

What the heck is the US Marine comment supposed to mean?

Relax, it was a compliment.

It means it takes more than natures sandblaster to make a Marine take cover. :) Booyah! Tell 'em Zippyt.

found a VIDEO of that sandstorm

http://thunder6.typepad.com/365_arabian_nights/files/sand_storm.wmv

At first I thought the thing was filmed in slow motion - until I saw people walking. But the amazing thing was how dark it was once the thing had passed over.