SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

Carl Ninine, chief executive of the Quilpie Shire Council in southwestern Queensland, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. the storm was a surprise.

"We weren't expecting it. Last night when we were walking about at our Christmas party, it was really humid and I thought it would be a big old rain today", he said. "Instead, it's a crummy dust storm. It makes you cranky. If it happened in Sydney, there'd be the biggest news in the world about it but it's just another part of living in the outback."

Grant McTainish of the dust watch unit at Griffith University in Brisbane has been observing dust storms for 30 years. He said they have become more frequent recently, suggesting some fundamental change in weather patterns.

McTainish said linking the storms to climate change is tempting but not yet supported by evidence.

 BREAKING STORIES

Man crashes while trying to elude IRS

Falls, accidents cause most brain injuries

Severe drought grips southwestern China

One dead in Pennsylvania train collision

Number error led to British sub accident

Rescue efforts for 31 miners called off

California's Orange County sues Toyota

I-70 reopens after massive Colo. rock slide

E-mails to Fla.: Tiger treated too easily

Geese collision prompts aircraft landing

Jury is out on emergency vehicle devices

Chinese construction site collapse kills 6

Historic deep-sea robot is lost off Chile

Cruise slightly hurt in motorcycle dustup

Explorer says he dozed before car crash

Railroad settles in 2005 chlorine spill

Two people hurt during bull's escape

Floods kill hundreds in Africa

Three hurt in Coast Guard copter accident

Pre-trauma alcohol may be linked to PTSD