A sandstorm is a storm in a dry place, often a desert, when a strong wind lifts sand and blows it through the air. The sky can turn brown or yellow, it becomes hard to see, and the sand stings your skin and gets into your eyes, mouth, and clothes. The word is simply sand + storm. People also say dust storm; a sandstorm is when much of what flies is sand, not only fine dust. News in Taiwan often says 沙塵暴 for big dusty winds from the north, which is a close idea, though a true desert sandstorm can feel heavier and closer to the ground. You will meet the word in weather reports, travel writing, and films about the desert.