Analysis of a saline dust storm from the Aralkum Desert – Part 2: Atmospheric flow precursors in the Euro-Atlantic region

Wind-blown dust emissions from the man-made Aralkum Desert pose significant environment and human health risks across Central Asia. Yet, little is known about the atmospheric circulation patterns favoring dust outbreaks from the region. This study examines the role of upstream atmospheric blocking and recurrent transient Rossby wave packets (RWPs) in initiating a severe dust storm from the Aralkum Desert in May 2018. Results show that the dust event was triggered by an unusual early-summer cold air outbreak and attendant postfrontal northerly winds reaching 24–31 m/s. The compound cold air and dust outbreaks were preceded by repeated meridional flow amplification linked to recurrent RWPs across the North Atlantic, persistent blocking over Scandinavia, and the subsequent development of a pronounced ridge-trough couplet that facilitated cold intrusions into Kazakhstan. This study underscores the importance of Euro-Atlantic blocking systems in shaping surface weather hazards in the downstream Central Asia region.