How to Find and Survive Desert and Mesa Sandstorms

Where Sandstorms Spawn

Sandstorms are biome-specific weather. They occur in desert biomes, while mesa (badlands) biomes get red sandstorms using the biome's own sand coloring. The storm engulfs the landscape in swirling particles and blows dust and shrubs across the ground.

Surviving the Storm

Visibility drops sharply during a sandstorm, so plan ahead before one hits. Because particles fill the air, lower your particle setting if the screen becomes too busy or your framerate tanks. The blowing shrubs and dust are visual, but the reduced visibility is the real hazard when navigating ravines or cliffs.

If you are building in a desert or mesa, sandstorms are a good reason to enclose structures or add roofs, since the swirling particles will constantly pass through open areas. For screenshots or cinematic builds, sandstorms are the ideal moment to capture the biome's atmosphere. Time your visits around weather rather than fighting through every storm.