Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Saturday, February 6, 2010
Only today as we drove back to UB from our short weekend escape did we really get to appreciate the stunning beauty of the drive. Yesterday afternoon when we drove out to the resort where we stayed, the wind was blowing snow all over the road--and then a dust storm kicked in as well. The gently rolling hills along the drive were covered with some snow, but it's not particularly deep on the land because the wind blows the super-dry snow around like the shifting sands of the desert.
So, blowing snow on the roads in winter is nothing unusual but a dust storm mixed with blowing snow IS fairly unusual. It may be related to the drought experienced in parts of Mongolia last summer which reduced the vegetation and, in turn, loosened up the top soil to blow around. But that's just speculation on my part.
So, blowing snow on the roads in winter is nothing unusual but a dust storm mixed with blowing snow IS fairly unusual. It may be related to the drought experienced in parts of Mongolia last summer which reduced the vegetation and, in turn, loosened up the top soil to blow around. But that's just speculation on my part.
