Watch horses appear unfazed by massive dust devil near Utah ranch
Video footage from the event shows the horses at the ranch in Eagle Mountain completely unbothered by the large, dusty vortex as it swirled over paddock areas.
Meanwhile, onlookers were in awe of the natural phenomenon.
'Pretty sure that's one of the biggest one of those I've seen while I've been here,' Rebekka Fullmer, who filmed the video and lives in Eagle Mountain, can be heard saying. The city is located near Provo, Utah.
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Watch horses be unfazed by dust devil
What is a dust devil?
Dust devils are a common wind phenomenon around the world, according to the National Weather Service. These dust-filled vortices, which typically form under clear skies and in light winds, are created by strong surface heating between two different surface types, such as asphalt and dirt, or even irrigated fields and dirt roads.
Dust devils usually last for only a few minutes before dissipating. However, in desert areas, they can reach up to several thousand feet and last more than an hour, according to the NWS.
"Even though they are generally smaller than tornadoes, dust devils can still be destructive as they lift dust and other debris into the air," NWS officials said. "Small structures can be damaged, and even destroyed, if in the path of a strong dust devil."
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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