Sentence:  Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] <WSD>storms</WSD> in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Any disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially as affecting the earth's surface, and strongly implying destructive or unpleasant weather.