They may only last a few minutes, and most may be pretty tame, but a severe Dust Devil can pick up tents, carry away trampolines and blow off the roof of barns. This natural phenomenon, a whirlwind of dust and debris, springs to life when the ground heats up rapidly, causing the air above to rise and swirl with an almost mischievous intent.

Typical diameters of dust devils range from 10 to 300 feet, with an average height of approximately 500 to 1000 feet. Unlike their more destructive relatives, tornadoes, dust devils are usually harmless, spinning across barren landscapes and deserted roads. However, dust devils have claimed some lives: in 2003, a deadly dust devil caused a house to collapse in Maine, resulting in the death of the resident.