Understanding Global Haboobs Using iDust

Haboobs, dust storms triggered by convective cold pool outflows, contribute significantly to the global dust cycle and cause severe socioeconomic impacts through rapid visibility reduction and health hazards. However, haboob processes are inadequately represented in current reanalysis products (MERRA-2, EAC4) due to insufficient resolution to resolve mesoscale convection and hydrostatic dynamics that cannot properly describe the small-scale vertical motions. To date, haboobs have been studied primarily through individual cases and regional statistics, while systematic global-scale understanding remains lacking. This study investigates the global spatiotemporal patterns of haboobs and quantifies their contributions to dust emissions using the 12.5-km iDust model with analysis wind nudging. We perform multi-year global simulations, validate them against ground-based and satellite observations, and systematically identify and characterize haboob events worldwide. Our findings reveal global haboob patterns and their role in the dust cycle, advancing scientific understanding of convective dust processes.