The electrification of dust-lofting gust fronts (‘haboobs’) in the Sahel

Two Doppler radars and a suite of auxiliary surface observations are used to document the electrical, aerosol and aerodynamic properties of dust-lofting gust fronts near Niamey, Niger during the AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis). Electrification with dominant negative polarity is a common behavior, consistent with earlier studies on dust devils and the Harmattan wind in dry environments.