Ever wondered what it is like to get caught up in a dust devil? Take it from storm chaser Brian Verhoeven who filmed the entire experience as a large dust devil traveled along the historical Route 66 in western Arizona.

Video footage captured by Verhoeven and posted to X shows the large dust devil propelling debris and tumbleweed as it moves through Kingman in Arizona Friday afternoon.

Verhoeven, in response to a comment, said that he and his partner got a few scratches during the event, but "it wasn't too bad".

"As meteorologists, we knew what to expect and braced ourselves," Verhoeven said. "If you are not familiar enough with the phenomenon and its risks, I would say: don't do it."

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What is a dust devil?

Dust devils are a common wind phenomenon that occur across the world, according to the National Weather Service. These dust-filled vortices, typically under clear skies and 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, says the NWS, though in desert areas, such as in northern Arizona, they can reach up to several thousand feet and last more than an hour.

"Even though they are generally smaller than tornadoes, dust devils can still be destructive as they lift dust and other debris into the air," says the NWS. "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, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

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