mini tornado in playground...need help

I grew up in Southern Indiana and we had dust devils all the time. As kids we loved to rush into one after we discovered it, and make it disappear.

I am surprised you yourself, OP have never seen one!

They happen here in KY too.

My intermediate school in PA was U-shaped, and there were always dust devils in the courtyard on windy days. Something to do with the way the wind blew into the corners, I think. We used to dare each other to jump through them.

Interesting phenomena!

Would love to see one in person!

Dust Devils are very common, and one of the most exciting parts of summer for kids in MO, KS, OK, TX, etc. I didn't know California got them.

When I was a kid we would hang out in places just waiting and hoping to see one, and then we would chase it and try to run through it! We would ride our bikes through them. We would find places that they were the most common and try to build stuff in their way so they could blow it down. Dust Devils are GREAT!!

When I moved to Florida as an adult, I couldn't believe all the reports of WaterSpouts in the IntraCoastal waterway along Hwy 98? They would show pictures on the news, and they would be right around people on boats and swimmers. It seemed very scary until I finally saw one for myself!! Just giant Dust Devils over the water. Harmless and very cool looking. They move right along the water around boaters and swimmers, and never hurt a thing.