Dust Storm Events Research Articles

Mineralogical, geochemical, and textural characteristics of soil and airborne samples during dust storms in Khuzestan, southwest Iran

Dust storms are frequent phenomena in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, leading to environmental hazards and deleterious impacts on human health. This work analyzes mineralogic and geochemical characteristics of dust sediments at the source regions and in deposition areas in southwest Iran during three dust-storm events in winter and spring 2018. Twenty soil and airborne dust samples were collected and analyzed for compositions of dust at different distances from the source regions in Iraq and southwest Iran, aiming to assess the source characterization and possible mixing processes in the atmosphere. The grain size distributions were also analyzed at specific sites. The results show that about 50 % of the volume size distribution corresponds to particle sizes of above 20 μm, indicating local/regional dust storms of coarse to giant particles. XRD analysis indicates that calcite is the dominant mineral in all the samples, with a high quartz and dolomite fraction. The most abundant major compounds are SiO2 and CaO, while Cl, Ba, Sr, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cr, V are the main trace elements. The enrichment factor (EF) analysis showed that apart from Th, Nb, Ce, and V, all the other elements (Pb, Zn, Cr, etc.) have an anthropogenic origin or represent high amounts of pollutant contamination. High levels of elemental enrichment are attributable to intensive pollution in Khuzestan Province and at sampling sites due to fossil-fuel combustion, gas and petroleum drilling activities. Moreover, based on the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), all samples are found to be contaminated by heavy metals due to prior war-related materiel, oil and gas extraction, and emissions from polluting industries.

What drove late Holocene dust activity in central Asia, natural processes or human activity?

Dust from interior Asia can be transported to a vast down-wind area by the Westerlies, exerting great influence on global climate and human health. However, the relative roles of natural climatic and anthropogenic processes on dust activity in interior Asia remain ambiguous. Here, we present new climatic records from an accurately dated aeolian sequence in the southern Tarim Basin (TB), an important location along the ancient Silk Road, and a source region for dust emission. In combination with analyses of historical documents within the TB and modern-day metrological data, we found that dust activity in the TB is controlled by climatically-related environmental change in this region after at least 4 ka, expressed by high correlation between dust activity records and newly obtained humidity and temperature proxy records from the same section. This high correlation is further supported by our analysis of modern meteorological data in central Asia. Human activities in this region, modulated by both natural climate-environment change and socio-political reasons, accelerated the process of environment deterioration and increased dust activity, especially after ~2 ka. We subsequently suggest that dust activity in central Asia during the last 4 ka is governed primarily by variations of the intensity and relative position of the Northern Hemisphere Westerly jet, based on records comparison and analysis on modern-day dust storm events. These observations provide important boundary conditions for the accurate prediction and numerical simulation of dust activity.

Gone with the wind: Impact of soil-dust storms on farm income

Dust storms are one of the less-studied consequences of climate change that affect people, their health, and economic activities in various parts of the world. This is particularly evident in regions across the “dust belt” – i.e., from the west coast of North Africa to China, over the Sahara, the Middle East, Central and South Asia. Agriculture is influenced by dust storms more than other economic sectors because of its necessary interactions with, and dependence on, the environment. This study explores the effect of dust storms on Iranian barley farmers' livelihood. The study area has been increasingly affected by dust storms originating from other countries on the dust belt. Our results indicate that these storms have a negative and significant effect on barley farmers' net revenues during the years 2000–2016. We find that a one hour increase in dust occurrence reduces barley farmers' income, from irrigated barley and rain-fed barley, by US$ 0.36 and US$ 0.08 per hectare, respectively. The findings have important implications regarding the income inequality effects of climate change; those significantly affected by dust storms are often small-scale farmers whose livelihood depends on the income from very few acres of land.

Annual Appearance of Hydrogen Chloride on Mars and a Striking Similarity With the Water Vapor Vertical Distribution Observed by TGO/NOMAD

AbstractHydrogen chloride (HCl) was recently discovered in the atmosphere of Mars by two spectrometers onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. The reported detection made in Martian Year 34 was transient, present several months after the global dust storm during the southern summer season. Here, we present the full data set of vertically resolved HCl detections obtained by the NOMAD instrument, which covers also Martian year 35. We show that the particular increase of HCl abundances in the southern summer season is annually repeated, and that the formation of HCl is independent from a global dust storm event. We also find that the vertical distribution of HCl is strikingly similar to that of water vapor, which suggests that the uptake by water ice clouds plays an important role. The observed rapid decrease of HCl abundances at the end of the southern summer would require a strong sink independent of photochemical loss.

Air-water interactions: The signature of meteorological and air-quality parameters on the chemical characteristics of water produced from the atmosphere

Atmospheric water is considered an alternative sustainable solution for global water scarcity. We analyzed the effects of meteorological and air-quality parameters on the chemical characteristics of atmospheric water. First, we measured the chemical characteristics of water produced by a unique atmospheric water generator (AWG) apparatus in Tel Aviv, Israel. To examine the complex air-water relationships, we obtained atmospheric data from several sources: adjacent air-quality-monitoring stations, aerosol robotic network (AERONET), aerosol pollution profile using PollyXT lidar, and air back-trajectory simulation (HYSPLIT). We found a strong impact of different pollution sources on the water quality. The integration between HYSPLIT, AERONET and lidar analyses shows that the pathway crossed by the air parcel three days before arrival at the site affected the chemical properties of the produced water. Nearby sea salt aerosols from the Mediterranean were persistently observed in the water (medians: sodium 69 μg/L, chloride ions 120 μg/L), corresponding to lidar identification of a sea-breeze layer (30–50 sr lidar ratio in lower elevation). Seasonal variability in climatic conditions affected the concentration of dust-related elements in the water. During dust-storm events, calcium was the most dominant element (median 900 μg/L). Thus, the chemical characteristics of the water can be considered a “footprint” of both regional, local, and phenological composition of the atmosphere.

Atmospheric concentrations and emission ratios of black carbon and nitrogen oxides in the Arabian/Persian Gulf region

The atmospheric concentration of black carbon (BC) has paramount importance worldwide due to its role in global warming and its adverse effect on human health. Only limited information is available about BC concentration and emission factors from the Arabian/Persian Gulf region despite the presence of significant sources including petrochemical industry and maritime shipping. The atmospheric concentrations of BC, nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2), ozone and particulate matter (PM10) were monitored at a suburban location and at a central residential location in Doha, Qatar during fall-spring 2016–2017. Elevated NOX and BC mean concentrations (25.8 ppbv and 5.17 μg/m3 respectively) and maximum values (228 ppbv vs. 27 μg/m3) were measured at both locations. The average ozone mixing ratio was 15.9 ppbv (max. 52.6 ppbv). Typically, the BC concentration was correlated with NOX, which indicates common sources. BC/NOX emission ratios (ER) were calculated to characterise the sources, while the NO/NOX concentration ratio was used as a proxy of pollution age. The calculated BC/NOX emission ratios were found to be high comparing to the EMEP database, with the means of 0.13 μg m−3 ppbv−1 (suburban location) and 0.10 μg m−3 ppbv−1 (residential location). The BC/NOX ER did not show significant daily variation, while the NO/NOX ratio showed typical urban time pattern with high ratio during morning rush hours following by a decreasing trend during afternoon, and minimum values at night-time. The PM10 concentrations were high during the measurement period with a mean of 103 μg m−3, which is typical in the Gulf region. During occasional dust storm events the PM10 hourly average concentration raised peaked at 1054 μg m−3. Significant influence of mineral dust was observed on the BC measurement and the absorption properties, as it was increasing the BC readings and widening the distribution of the absorption Ångström exponent. The mass absorption cross-section of mineral dust was determined during the major dust storm event.

Quantitative evaluation of ‘No-harm’ rule in international transboundary water law in the Helmand River basin

The international legal principle of ‘no-harm’, as a customary international law, lies at the heart of numerous international transboundary water conventions, rules, and agreements. The current study identifies and examines the three most common categories of harm, namely health, environmental, and economic, in an integrated framework. Exploitation of the Kamal Khan dam over the Hirmand/Helmand Transboundary River internationally shared between Iran and Afghanistan has been selected as a case study. For this aim, an integrated modeling approach that links Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA), dust storm events (DST) and crop production is developed to simulate the indicators and their parameters under historical conditions and future exploitation of the dam. Effects on the three types of harm are classified as being low, moderate or high. The results showed that the effects of the dam diversion for economic harm would be high. For instance, it could reduce the wheat production of the Iranian side of Sistan plain up to 70%. The hydrological alteration of the river is also significant, up to 80% during the winter and spring months. This can result in health and environmental harms. The region’s health and environment are already in a critical situation mainly due to the drying of Hamoun wetlands, which rely on the inflows of the Helmand River and are the major sources of dust storms. Notably, these issues would affect the entire plain in both Iran and Afghanistan. The scope of this study was the principle of ‘no-harm’ but the methodology with some additional modifications could be considered for other principles like “equitable and reasonable utilization” in transboundary river basins.

Aerosol optical properties over Delhi during a dust event in summer 2014: plausible implications

Delhi experiences frequent dust storms during the pre-monsoon season. We studied one such event that occurred on May 30th, 2014 at New Delhi to understand the changes in the optical properties of aerosols. The present study utilizes the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the ground and satellite measurements along with reanalysis data. The aerosol characteristics were examined during the pre-week and post-week of the dust storm event. The results show that AOD values reach ~ 1.0 in all the modes of measurements (i.e., sun photometer, MODIS, and MERRA-2) on the dust event day. MODIS-derived Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (AAE), which gradually decreases from 1.7 ± 0.3 to 1.1 ± 0.3, shows the presence of coarse mode particles during the event. The aerosol layer at an elevation from 1 to 2 km was observed using indigenously developed dual-polarization micro-pulse lidar (MPL) system during the dust event. The source of the dust during the storm was identified by the air mass back-trajectories analysis. The dust column mass density averaged 24 hourly at 850 hPa is 780 mg m−2 with a prevailing wind direction of west to east with wind speed of 11–13 ms−1. Shortwave aerosol direct radiative forcing (SWADRF) diurnally averaged at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), the atmosphere (ATM), and surface (SUR) are found to be − 10 W m−2, 27 W m−2, and − 37 W m−2, respectively. The heating rate was enhanced by 56% (from 0.16 to 0.25 K day−1) during the event in the whole atmospheric column. Visibility decreased by 31% during the dust storm day compared with its average value of non-dust storm days.

Dust storm surveying and detection using remote sensing data, wind tracing, and atmospheric thermodynamic conditions (case study: Isfahan Province, Iran)

One of the most important environmental problems in recent years in the Middle East including Iran is the dust storm events. The main goal of this research was to conduct statistical analyses to identify the dusty days with visibility to less than 1 km. This study also dealt with the recognition of sources of this phenomenon and the route for dusts to enter Isfahan Province. In this study, data were collected for a 20-year period (1994–2013) including daily dust data at the ground stations, brightness temperature at wavelengths of 11 μm and 12 μm, and GDAS data for tracking the dust particle route in HYSPLIT software. Naein and Airport stations with frequencies of 920 and 919 days of dust (respectively) were identified as two critical centers of dust in Isfahan province. The spring season had the highest number of days with dust. Also, the highest and lowest frequencies of this event were observed in April–May–June and December–January, respectively. The border area between Iraq and Syria, west and southwest of Iraq, was the main source of the dust transported to Isfahan. Thermodynamic conditions of atmosphere using the Skew-T diagrams were stable during the dust events in the study area.

Tracing local sources and long-range transport of PM10 in central Taiwan by using chemical characteristics and Pb isotope ratios

Central Taiwan is among the most heavily polluted regions in Taiwan because of a complex mixing of local emissions from intense anthropogenic activities with natural dust. Long-range transport (LRT) of pollutants from outside Taiwan also contributes critically to the deterioration of air quality, especially during the northeast monsoon season. To identify the sources of particulate matter < 10 μm (PM10) in central Taiwan, this study performed several sampling campaigns, including three local events, one LRT event, and one dust storm event, during the northeast monsoon season of 2018/2019. The PM10 samples were analyzed for water-soluble ion and trace metal concentrations as well as Pb isotope ratios. Local sediments were also collected and analyzed to constrain chemical/isotopic signatures of natural sources. The Pb isotope data were interpreted together with the enrichment factors and elemental ratios of trace metals in PM10, and reanalysis data sets were used to delineate the sources of PM10 in central Taiwan. Our results suggested that Pb in PM10 was predominantly contributed by oil combustion and oil refineries during the local events (48–88%), whereas the lowest contributions were from coal combustion (< 21%). During periods of high wind speed, the contribution from natural sources increased significantly from 13 to 31%. Despite Pb represented only a small portion of PM10, a strong correlation (r = 0.89, p < 0.001, multiple regression analysis) between PM10 mass and the concentrations of Pb, V, and Al was observed in the study area, suggesting that the sources of PM10 in central Taiwan can be possibly tracked by using chemical characteristics and Pb isotopes in PM10. Moreover, the Pb isotopic signals of PM10 collected during the LRT event confirmed the impact of LRT from Mainland China, and the chemical characteristics of the PM10 significantly differed from those of the PM10 collected during local events. This study demonstrates the robustness of using a combination of Pb isotopic compositions and chemical characteristics in PM10 for source tracing in complex and heavily polluted areas.

Correlation among PM 10 , PM 2.5 , Cd, and Pb Concentrations in Ambient Air and Asian Dust Storm Event

Correlation among PM 10 , PM 2.5 , Cd, and Pb Concentrations in Ambient Air and Asian Dust Storm Event

Revisiting Andhi in northern India: A case study of severe dust-storm over the urban megacity of New Delhi

Pre-monsoon dust storms also known as “Andhi” are one of the common phenomena occurring over the northern part of Indian sub-continent. Using the synergetic information from multiple platforms, the life cycle of an infamous dust storm event has been investigated, which impacted the urban megacity of New Delhi on May 30, 2014. The analysis from the radar revealed that the storm resulted from the merger of the outflow boundaries of two propagating thunderstorms in the mesoscale vicinity of New Delhi region. The leading edge of the outflow of downdraft cold air generated from the storm, ploughs the loose hot soil from the surface, thereby resulting to the severe dust storm over the region. Along with the heavy aerosol loading on that day as found from the satellite data, the evolution of the storm was also associated with sudden change in surface meteorological parameters which are manifested through the increase in near surface humidity (~ 70%) and pollution levels along with the decrease in surface temperature (−12%). Although the study is centered at one event, the inferences distilled from this study are beneficial for the improvement of the predictive capability of severe weather events particularly for the tropical countries.

Dust storms in northern China during the last 500 years

The history and mechanisms of dust storms in northern China remain unclear owing to the paucity of reliable long-term, high-resolution geological records. In this study, we reconstructed the dust storm history of the last ~500 years in northern China, based on sedimentary coarse fraction (>63 µm) of a well-dated core from Lake Daihai, Inner Mongolia. The high-resolution data reveal three intervals of frequent dust storms: AD 1520–1580, AD 1610–1720, and AD 1870–2000. The dust storm events in the Lake Daihai area were broadly synchronous with those inferred from other historical or geological records and generally occurred during cold intervals. Changes in the intensity of Siberian High and the westerlies modulated by temperature variations are the likely major factors controlling dust storm dynamics. An interesting feature is that although the intensities of dust storms have been systematically increased during the recent warming period, a clear decreasing trend within this period is evident. The recent increase in average dust storm intensity may be ascribed to an increase in particle supply resulting from a rapid increase in human activity, whereas the weakening trend was likely caused by decreases in average wind speed resulting from the recent global warming.

Meteorological feedback and eco-environmental impact of Asian dust: A simulation study

Wind-blown dust plays a crucial role in air quality, biogeochemical cycles, and climate change. In East Asia, one of the main dust source regions in the world, dust storms frequently engulf eastern China, with a substantial negative effect on air pollution and the ecological environment. By integrating multiple observations and the online coupled meteorology-chemistry model WRF-Chem, a severe dust storm event originating from the Gobi Desert in early May 2017 is comprehensively analyzed from the perspective of emission estimation, meteorological feedback, and the possible impact on the ecological environment. We optimize the size distribution of dust aerosol by applying local observations to better represent dust emission and regional transport in the model. Both the observations and simulations indicate that the dust storm broke out with PM10 concentrations exceeding 1500 μg/m3 in the source region of the Gobi Desert, and was quickly transported downwind, deteriorating the air quality of cities in northern and eastern China. Moreover, we find that the dust storm significantly perturbed the temperature stratification, since mineral dust is a radiatively active aerosol and can absorb both short- and long-wave radiation. The upper dust layer at an altitude of around 2–3 km became warmer by 1–2 °C while the surface temperature decreased by about 2 °C, making the planetary boundary layer more stable and indirectly aggravating local air pollution near the ground in eastern China. Furthermore, during this event, a large amount of dust deposition increased ocean primary productivity, with the maximum Chlorophyll-a concentration rising from 4 to 14 mg/m3 in the central area of the Yellow Sea. This study highlights the critical impact of Asian dust pollution on air quality and marine ecosystems in downwind areas.

Detection of a Dust Storm in 2020 by a Multi-Observation Platform over the Northwest China

Dust storms have occurred frequently in northwest China and can dramatically reduce visibility and exacerbate air quality in downwind regions through long-range transport. In order to study the distribution characteristics of dust particles sizes, structures and concentrations in the process of dust storm, especially for the vertical distributions, the multi-observation platform composed of six Lidars and nine aerosol analytical instruments is first used to detect a severe dust storm event, which occurred in Northwest China on 3 May 2020. As a strong weather system process, the dust storm has achieved high intensity and wide range. When the intensity of a dust storm is at its strongest, the ratios of PM2.5 (particulate matter with diameter &lt; 2.5 µm) and PM10 (particulate matter with diameter &lt; 10 µm) (PM2.5/PM10) in cities examined were less than 0.2 and the extinction coefficients became greater than 1 km−1 based on Lidar observations. In addition, the growth rates of PM2.5 were higher than that of PM10. The dust particles mainly concentrated at heights of 2 km, after being transported about 200–300 km, vertical height increased by 1–2 km. Meanwhile, the dust concentration decreased markedly. Furthermore, the depolarization ratio showed that dust in the Tengger Desert was dominated by spherical particles. The linear relationships between 532 nm extinction coefficient and the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were found firstly and their R2 were 0.706 to 0.987. Our results could give more information for the physical schemes to simulate dust storms in specific models, which could improve the forecast of dust storms.

Water bodies changes in Tigris and Euphrates basin has impacted dust storms phenomena

Abstract The Tigris and Euphrates basin (TEB) has long been one of the active dust sources in the Middle East. In the last four decades, inefficient water resources management has intensified dust activities in the TEB. Dried water bodies have a high potential for dust emission. Therefore, several studies have been conducted in TEB to identifying dust sources. Nevertheless, the role of water body changes in dust emission is not yet clear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of natural and anthropogenic drivers on changes in water bodies and dust emissions. The long-term spatial-temporal monitoring of water bodies changes was performed using 36-year Landsat 5, 7, and 8 multi-spectral images. Using visual interpretation of MODIS-RGB143 images, 904 dust storm events were identified, about 61% of them originated from dried beds of lakes, marshlands, and river margins. The lowest area of water bodies was observed in the period from 2000 to 2004 and 2008 to 2012. The area of water bodies in the two mentioned periods has decreased by 31% and 33%, respectively. Severe droughts have occurred in the region during these two periods. Overall, this has led to an increase of almost 23% in dust activities. However, the relationship between change in the area of water bodies and dust emission in the TEB is not necessarily linear and straightforward. In general, it can be concluded that the dried beds of water bodies is the largest source of dust emission in the TEB.

Impacts of Transboundary Dust Transport on Aerosol Pollution in the Western Yangtze River Delta Region, China: Insights Gained From Ground‐Based Lidar and Satellite Observations

AbstractDust storms pose a serious threat to air quality and public health through large‐scale, long‐distance transport. In early April 2018, two severe dust storm events occurred in the Taklimakan and Gobi Deserts in northwestern China. The advected air‐masses containing dust traveled eastward over long distances reaching the western Yangtze River Delta region (WYRDR) with local PM10 peak concentrations of 190 and 410 μg/m3 on April 6 and April 11, 2018, respectively. Satellite remote sensing and ground‐based lidar observations showed that the first dust event was transported to WYRDR at an altitude of &lt;5 km, while the second transport height was at an altitude of &lt;3 km. The first one was accompanied with the dry‐cold air mass in the northwest moving eastward and southward. By comparison, in the second event, the dust aerosols were mixed with anthropogenic aerosols from southwestern China. Meanwhile, as southerly warm‐humid air flows prevailed at near‐surface layer over the WYRDR in the second event, the associated higher relative humidity potentially induced hygroscopic growth of polluted dust aerosols, resulting in explosive growth of PM10. In addition, the average depolarization ratio of aerosols over WYRDR on April 6 was 0.3, while on April 11 it was 0.2, indicating that the previous pollution event featured more obvious nonspherical characteristics of aerosols. Our findings provide scientific evidence that transboundary dust events and resultant local PM10 pollution are closely related to various transport trajectories of dust aerosols as well as the local vertical wind profiles and surface humidity conditions.

Numerical simulations of dust storms originated from dried lakes in central and southwest Asia: The case of Aral Sea and Sistan Basin

Ephemeral and dried lakes in southwest and central Asia, such as the Aral Sea and Hamouns in east Iran, are major sources of dust storms with an increasing tendency during the last decades due to anthropogenic influence and climate change. This study examines two characteristic dust-storm events originated from these areas on 12–15 July 2016 and 27–28 May 2018. Thermal low-pressure systems over topographic-low areas and the Caspian Sea High, along with pressure gradients and intense surface winds over the dust sources facilitated the dust outbreaks and transport. Three models (DREAM-NMME-MACC, CAMS and WRF-Chem) are synergized to simulate the spatial distribution of AOD and surface dust concentrations during the dust events. The results show that DREAM-NMME-MACC and WRF-Chem exhibit the highest discrepancies (R = 0.15–0.58; RMSE = 83%–125%) in representing the spatial and temporal distribution of dust compared to Terra-MODIS AODs, while CAMS reveals the best performance (R = 0.29–0.77; RSME = 67%–124%). All models significantly underestimate the high MODIS AODs, especially near the source areas, due to different dust schemes, soil conditions, meteorology and dynamic processes for dust emissions that they comprise. Furthermore, notable differences between the models are revealed in simulations of the PM 10 concentrations in Zabol, east Iran, as the models fail to reproduce the temporal evolution and high intensity of the dust event. In general, all models represent better the dust storm originated from Sistan (13–14 July 2016) rather than the Aralkum dust storm (27–28 May 2018), indicating an incapability in representing the soil characteristics in a progressively drying terrain.

The effectiveness of a single Tamarix tree in reducing aeolian erosion in an arid region

Although the effectiveness of windbreaks in reducing wind speed and sediment transport is highly dependent on the efficiency of individual elements, few field studies have evaluated the effectiveness of single plants typical of arid areas such as Tamarix. A series field experiments were conducted in the Niatak area of Sistan to assess the effectiveness of a single Tamarix tree in reducing wind speed and sediment flux. Wind speed was measured on five occasions at 32 positions around the tree and at heights of z/h = 0.13, 0.5, 1.1, and 2 (where h is the height of the tree). Sediment flux was measured over three dust storm events at 15 positions and at heights of z/h = 0.13, 0.5, 1.1, and 1.8. The results showed a reduction of wind speed and sediment flux of 80–90% at x/h = 1, decreasing to about 5–8% at x/h = 12. There was an acceleration of about 12–20% in wind speed and about 25–35% in sediment flux around the sides of the tree. The tree sheltered a zone of x/h = 7–9 downwind and the pattern of the sediment transport reduction closely conformed to that of the wind speed reduction. The greatest reduction of wind speed and sediment flux was observed on the leeside of the tree at x/h = 0.5 and, 1 and close to the ground surface. The results confirm the effectiveness of Tamarix trees in reducing wind speed and sediment flux, and thus its suitability as a potential control on erosion and sediment transport. Based on the results, designing a windbreak with an optimum inter-rows distance of x/h = 7 and inter-plant spacing of less than 0.5 h is suggested in order to provide maximum control of aeolian erosion.

Dust Transport from Inland Australia and Its Impact on Air Quality and Health on the Eastern Coast of Australia during the February 2019 Dust Storm

Dust storms originating from Central Australia and western New South Wales frequently cause high particle concentrations at many sites across New South Wales, both inland and along the coast. This study focussed on a dust storm event in February 2019 which affected air quality across the state as detected at many ambient monitoring stations in the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) air quality monitoring network. The WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecast Model—Chemistry) model is used to study the formation, dispersion and transport of dust across the state of New South Wales (NSW, Australia). Wildfires also happened in northern NSW at the same time of the dust storm in February 2019, and their emissions are taken into account in the WRF-Chem model by using Fire Inventory from NCAR (FINN) as emission input. The model performance is evaluated and is shown to predict fairly accurate the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration as compared to observation. The predicted PM2.5 concentration over New South Wales during 5 days from 11 to 15 February 2019 is then used to estimate the impact of the February 2019 dust storm event on three health endpoints, namely mortality, respiratory and cardiac disease hospitalisation rates. The results show that even though as the daily average of PM2.5 over some parts of the state, especially in western and north western NSW near the centre of the dust storm and wild fires, are very high (over 900 µg/m3), the population exposure is low due to the sparse population. Generally, the health impact is similar in order of magnitude to that caused by biomass burning events from wildfires or from hazardous reduction burnings (HRBs) near populous centres such as in Sydney in May 2016. One notable difference is the higher respiratory disease hospitalisation for this dust event (161) compared to the fire event (24).