Sand river

  • The sand river phenomenon occurred in Iraq, in the Rub al Khali desert.
  • What looked like a river of sand was actually a flow of large hailstones.
  • Intense storms caused these hailstones to slide across the sandy ground.
  • Climate change is contributing to an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events.

Desert sand

One of the strangest phenomena that went viral around the world was that of sand riverAnd it's a rather unusual river, since it doesn't carry water, but sand. There were many theories about this phenomenon and its possible origin. It occurred in Iraq and was shared through a video that went viral around the world. Many people said it was part of some kind of apocalypse, since it's something out of the ordinary.

In this article we are going to tell you what the authentic origin is and what characteristics the river of sand has.

Strange weather phenomenon

The Iraq region stands out for a dry climate where they have a large amount of sandy soil. Where this phenomenon happened was the Rub al Khali desert, famous for being the largest sand desert on the planet. This strange phenomenon of nature was captured by a video fan and in a matter of days the video went viral all over the world. In the video you can see a strange phenomenon of nature where you can see how a river of sand flows in the middle of the desert.

Obviously this type of strange natural phenomenon captures the attention of all the locals since it seems something outside the natural limits. When there is a sand storm in a desert, it usually travels several kilometers due to the strong wind. However, if we observe the video we can see that there is hardly any wind and how the sand flows through the bed of a river as if it were a fluid. Can this phenomenon be real?

mountains of sand
Related article:
Sandstorms in Dubai: Natural Phenomena and Their Impact

The reality of the river of sand

Sandy river in Alberche

To the question of whether this phenomenon can be real or not, you have to say noWhat is really flowing like a river is not the sand but a good handful of boulders of hail. The video can be seen as one of the witnesses of this river of sand reaches his hand in the current and removes what appears to be a handful of hail.

And it is that at that time different weather patterns of the most unusual were recorded, which included hail. We must bear in mind that the Middle East area is drier and does not usually have this kind of strange phenomenon. The region where this river of sand was found stood out for having a dry climateHowever, it was hit by a terrible downpour and intense storm that caused hail the size of golf balls to fall. Because the weather was extremely extreme, all citizens were warned of the danger of damage from these storms.

These types of events often spark interest in understanding how storms occur in arid regions, which is vital to gain a clearer understanding of this phenomenon.

It was only after the storm that the unexpected river of sand was seen. The true reality of this river is what lies beneath the current. What actually appears to be a continuous flow of sand simulating the conditions of a river is ice. In the desert, ice was found. huge blocks of ice moving rapidly across the Middle East. The size of the hailstones was so large that they moved continuously as they thawed. The river of sand is nothing more than a large number of hailstones moving along the river.

curiosities about storms
Related article:
Shocking Facts about Storms and Lightning

How the river of sand was formed

What initially spread like a river of sand in Saudi Arabia wasn't entirely true. First of all, it wasn't in Saudi Arabia, but in Iraq. At the end of 2015, torrential rains and very strong hailstorms were experienced throughout the country, where it's normal for the heat is very intense even at that time of year. All the tributaries and streams poured their hailstones into the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Their flows increased, carrying all these hailstones with them as they melted due to the high temperatures.

As they flowed through sandy areas, these hailstones were the color of sand. If you look at them from a distance, you can see that they resemble a river of sand, and that's what they're made of. However, once you get closer to this continuous flow and put your hand in it, you can see that they are balls of hail.

These extreme weather events are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity due to global environmental problems such as climate change. This phenomenon experienced in Iraq was also accompanied by one of the hottest summers in history. temperatures up to 52 degrees in Baghdad.

deserts in danger due to climate change
Related article:
Deserts: fragile ecosystems and their fight against climate change

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the formation and origin of the sand river.


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     Carmen said

    Who has written this article is aware that the desert you mention is not in Iraq? The Rub al Khali is a desert in the south of the Arabian peninsula, and extends through Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and the Emirates.
    So something is not correct in article….

     edgar m cruz said

    How the hailstones were canlized to flow by a single pipe or two that is Tigris and Euphrates