Do you know about these strange weather phenomena?

Mother Nature never ceases to surprise us, sometimes pleasantly and sometimes, in weird ways.  From strange storms to stupendously beautiful clouds, nature is full of strange phenomena that are difficult to believe. Here, we take you through some of them.  

Dust Devil 
A dust devil is a fast rotating column of air that swirls dust, debris, and sand to considerable heights and resembles a tiny tornado on the surface. It is caused by super heated air rising into cooler air over a sun-baked ground. Dust devils are typically small, measuring three feet in diameter or less, yet they have been known to grow to reach over 300 feet wide. They're a common occurrence in the world's arid or desert regions. A waterspout, which occurs over a body of water, and a snow devil, which is a spinning column of snow, are similar in appearance to the dust devil. Other names for dust devil are: Whirling dervish, dancing devil and sun devil. A dust devil can usually be found in desert areas such as Nevada's Black Rock City or the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. 

Mackerel Sky 
A mackerel sky is a name used to describe clouds that are made up of rows of cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds that have an undulating, rippling pattern resembling fish scales. This is generated by moisture in the mid-levels of the atmosphere becoming caught between dry air at the surface and dry cold air at high altitudes. The rippling appearance of the clouds is caused by the wind and gravity. These clouds are small and white, and they tend to form clusters in a regular pattern. Pictures of mackerel sky have often been captured in Germany and Australia. 

Haboob 
A haboob is a massive, severe dust or sand storm that can reduce visibility to nil. It is an Arabic word meaning gale or strong wind. Storms like these are prevalent in hot, arid places like the Sahara desert, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Gulf of Guinea. These dust storms are most common in the United States of America during the monsoon season. They can be massive in height and can swallow up buildings, automobiles, and mankind. 

A haboob lasts about three hours and is most common in April and May. However, it can happen anytime except November. The wind may blow from the north in the winter or from the east, southeast, or south in summer. During the summer season, the storm usually occurs late in the day and is followed by rain. Every year, the city of Khartoum, Sudan, experiences 24 hoboobs on average.