Dust devils spotted in Saskatchewan fields

If you see a bunch of rocks and dirt swirling around in the sky, it’s likely that it’s not a tornado.

Dust devils are common in Saskatchewan at this time of year, especially when conditions are this dry.

David Baggaley, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, explained more about the phenomenon.

“(They’re) actually fairly common in the prairies, especially in the springtime,” he said. “They occur when you have lots of sunshine and dry weather and they can range in size from the little ones you see in the parking lot to decent-sized ones … We’re talking hundreds of metres (across), probably.”

While they might look quite similar to tornados, he said they are nowhere near as dangerous. Still, they can pose a risk.

“They are fairly strong wind events,” Baggaley said. “For the most part, they just kick up a little bit of dirt, but the bigger ones … can actually do a little bit of damage. They can toss things about. You think of something like a lawn chair or even a trampoline. The little ones, you don’t have to worry too much about, but the bigger ones, it’s best you stay away from.”

If you’re having trouble spotting the difference between a tornado and a dust devil, Baggaley said the easiest way to tell is that dust devils won’t have a cloud above them.

“It’s a swirling mass of wind and they do look very similar,” he said.