Temporal and spatial aspects of blowing dust in the Mojave and Colorado deserts of southern California, 1973-1994

Although dust storms rarely occur in southern California's deserts, blowing dust often reduces visibility, and large spatial and temporal variability in the frequency of blowing dust occurs throughout the region. On average only 1.3 dust storms occur in the study area each year. The annual average number of dust events (visibility <11 km) is 18.0, with the Coachella Valley being dustiest region, averaging 37.8 dust events each year. Mean annual frequencies of dust events for 1973-1994 are mapped, showing a core of activity centered over the Imperial/Coachella Valley region, with fewer dust events around the periphery of the study area. Most stations show a coherent temporal pattern of dust frequency during the period 1973-1994, with the mid-1970s experiencing the most dust. Blowing dust generally was absent from all stations during 1979-1983, 1987-1989, and 1992-1994. The mid-1980s were moderately dusty and 1990-1991 saw a return to very dusty conditions, possibly resulting from below-normal precipitation and increased anthropogenic disturbances. Dust events in the Mojave Desert characteristically occur during the winter to spring months (February-May), associated with dry frontal activity, and are largely absent during the dry summer months. The Colorado Desert experiences a similar seasonal distribution of dust events, but has more summer events, usually associated with convective thunderstorms. Frequencies of blowing dust have weak, but statistically significant, correlations with mean annual and antecedent precipitation, suggesting that complex processes control dust emission.