Is your worksite on the list?
By the time the year 2100 comes to a close, June, July, and August may look very different for some US states.
The culprit? Dust.
At least that’s what NOAA Climate.gov is saying.
According to an article published in Scientific Reports, some parts of the US will see more “dust events” for these months “in the late half of the twenty-first century” than in previous years—using the years of 1861 through 2005 as a baseline.
Not exactly sure what “dust events” are?
Think of dust storms.
Think of flying particles.
Think of dirty clouds that engulf buildings, homes, and heavy-duty work equipment.
(Some of you may remember the Arizona dust storm last year…in case you forgot, check out this news article.)
For fleet managers, operators, and mechanics, this research isn’t exactly welcome news.
If a dust storm hits, both heavy-duty fleets and worksites might suffer. And, unless there’s an accurate air filter monitoring system in place, dusting an engine becomes more likely every hour if it’s in comprising conditions.
Wondering if your worksite may be affected?
The article’s researchers expect these changes to hit the southern Great Plains—an area that the US Department of Energy defines as encompassing three states, which we’ve listed below…
- Texas
When it comes to an uptick in dust events, NOAA Climate.gov indicates that Texas stands in the crosshairs of rapidly increasing dust events.
Check out this map, and you’ll quickly see that more dust events aren’t just expected during the summer. The data also indicates that—for certain parts of the state—springtime might also be affected.
It’s possible that this will impact preventative maintenance routines for those who oversee heavy-duty fleets. For some, a real-time air filter monitoring system may be needed to monitor dust loads.
- Oklahoma
Oklahoma is no stranger to dust events.
Remember your 10th-grade history lesson? Then you might recall that this state experienced the “Dust Bowl” phenomenon during the Great Depression.
Oklahoma is also part of the United States’ southern Great Plains. And, according to NOAA Climate.gov, it’s at risk for increased summertime dust events in the years to come.
- Kansas
The final state on this southern Great Plains list is Kansas.
And when you think of Kansas, you probably don’t picture a howling desert in your mind. After all, the Kansas Department of Agriculture reports that 88% of the entire state is farmland with agricultural activities ranging from cattle raising to wheat production.
But that doesn’t mean Kansas is immune to dust storms. (For a real-life example, check out this video from the Wichita Eagle. It shows footage of a recent dust storm.)
And—based on NOAA Climate.gov’s data—more dust events may impact the state.
When You Can’t Prevent Dust Storms, Rely on an Air Filter Monitoring System
At the end of the day, predicting the weather is…a bit unpredictable. Simply remember the latest failed snow forecast if you’re looking for proof.
But whether dust events increase after 2050 or stay the same, here’s the bottom line.
You can’t prevent dust storms. But you can prevent engine failures that result from poor visibility into the dust load of your air filters.
The solution?
We believe the answer lies in leveraging a predictive maintenance tool as your air filter monitoring system. And that means better data and smarter decisions—whether there’s a dust storm or not.
At Senzit, we know a thing or two about dust…and the technology that keeps it from damaging your engine.