A winter shamal is a form of western Asian dust storm. In addition to the devastating dust storms and the aforementioned invasions, it's also believed that infighting played a role in the empire's ...

Strong winter dust storms may have caused the collapse of the Akkadian Empire. ScienceDaily . Retrieved June 2, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2019 / 10 / 191024093606.htm ...

Dust storms mostly hit Iraq in the summer months, when they are often associated with strong winds known as shamal blowing in from the north-west. In western Iraq, shamal-driven dust storms occur ...

Fossil coral records provide new evidence that frequent winter shamals, or dust storms, and a prolonged cold winter season contributed to the collapse of the ancient Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia.

Shamal winds (are low-level north-westerly winds) blow almost continuously in summer, often stirring up huge clouds of sand and dust. “We are still experiencing north-westerly wind; the entire ...

Scientists say dust storms are complex and poorly understood, but their main causes are natural. In 2015 many people blamed a fierce summer storm in the Levant on Syria’s civil war, thinking ...

In western Iraq, shamal-driven dust storms occur mainly in the spring. Image source, Reuters. Image caption, Experts believe dust storms are becoming more frequent in Iraq due to climate change.