The Curious, Persistent Dust Devils Of Mammoth Mountain

Left: Frank takes note of these interesting dust devils that form in a saddle near the top of the Mammoth Mountain tram (or gondolas, or whatever transportation system they have up there). On the afternoon of 8/14/10, these dust devils were forming, disintegrating, and then reforming, all in about the same place.

Nearly-stationary dust devils are pretty common on desert playas, particularly on hot summer afternoons. It's curious to see the same phenomenon in what amounts to a little pocket in the mountains.

Mountainous terrain, in general, provides surfaces, higher than most others, where sunlight can be absorbed and used to the heat the atmosphere. That heating enhances the lapse rate in the atmosphere, and thus promotes convection.