This is what it looked like...

About a week a go, we had a dust storm unlike any I have seen in the past seven months.  It was not quite a sandstorm as I could not feel myself being pelted with the large grains of sand.  It was the the fine powdery dust that gets into and all over everything.   We have had several of these since we got here, but never one as bad as this.  This time it was in the air as thick as any of the worst fog I had ever seen.  This first picture was taken at about 8am.  You will have to click on it and look closely, but there is actually a person standing in this picture.  He was standing about 30-40 feet away, and I could only make out his silhouette.  I knew something was out of whack that morning when I woke up and there was no light coming through my window.  I opened the door and stuck my head out into the brown pea-soup fog.  The other thing that I noticed was that the temperature was actually quite reasonable, maybe somewhere in the 80's.  I suppose having the sun completely blocked out will help even the worst heat waves.  This second picture was taken from about 75 feet away at 10:30am.  Visibility was was about 25 meters at best for most of the day.  This third picture was taken just before noon from about 30 feet away.  Most of Baghdad ground to a halt.   We, went about business as usual for the most part, but closed a few gates, and thought it wise to give our Iraqi counterparts the day off, as their commute was much longer than ours.  Even the US Media noticed when it caused the Constitutional Committee to take the day off.  Everyone on the FOB was wearing goggles and bandanas or dust masks over their face, and soldiering on.  As bad as it was, it was a nice break from the heat.  Although I was coughing crud up out of my lungs for two days afterwards.  Back to work...

Comments

[Edward]

MAJK,

Point your browser at

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images_index.php3

to see images from space of your dust storm.

You may have to step back in the archive a couple of days. There are two images, showing it moving NW to SE across Iraq. One shows as a thumbnail in the archive.

[Sean]

Be careful using your camera in that stuff, it ate one of mine!

[Cordeiro]

Damn! This looks like a commercial made by the Iraqi Ministry of Sand.

Sand. It's everywhere. Get used to it!

Stay safe, sir.

[Mary M]

8-16-05

Good to hear your voice today when you called Trevor. You either sounded very tired, or very unhappy, however....maybe both......Mary M

[sean]

Keep up the good work MAJOR. We haven't forgotten you or your men and we are all grateful for your service and your sacrifice. Thanks.

[Kathy]

My husband sent similar pics from Kuwait, and has been coughing up junk. Won't wear a mask "it is better to look good than to feel good"

Stay safe and God bless!

[Yankee PaPa]

..Sounds like a day off..Michael Yon was commenting the FRE doesn't like to (work) in inclimate weather..If the sun is not out..they stay home..sounds like a good idea..enjoy it while you can..Semper Fi..

[toni]

It is just so surreal.

[devildog6771]

Wow. What awesome pictures, sir. I hope that this storm gave you guys a bit of rest from the bad guys! Take care and be safe.

[KAT IN GA]

Yikes!!!! Looks almost like a very heavy, weird-colored fog, sort of...UGH! Breathing that stuff in just can't be good for y'all's lungs, ick!!!!

Y'all are in our prayers and thoughts every day!!!!!