Sandstorm



A Sandstorm is an event which occurs randomly in the Desert when wind speed is above 30 mph. During this event, a few enemies often found in the Underground Desert appear on the surface, as well as Angry Tumblers and, in Hardmode, Sand Elementals and Sand Sharks. If the player is standing in the Desert while this event is active, the Mighty Wind debuff will be inflicted on the player if they are not in front of a.

A Sandstorm has a 1/84600 chance of occurring per game tick once the conditions are fulfilled in (1/84600 = per tick. 1 tick = 1/60th of a second = 60 ticks per second = 3600 ticks per minute. 84600/3600 = 23.5 minutes. So, in theory, once the 30 mph conditions are met, there is a good chance of a sandstorm occurring within 1 in-game day - providing that the conditions stay constant during that time.) This means that the wind speed in game must be at 30 mph for a 23.5 minute period on average in order for a Sandstorm to spawn.

A sandstorm has a 1/518400 chance of occurring in.

Note that prior to defeating the Eye of Cthulhu, they are less common and have a less dangerous spawn set.

For the best chance for a Sandstorm to occur it needs to be Raining (18.2% chance per day - 24 minute duration), Night time (7.30 pm - 4.30 am in game - 9 minute duration) and for it to be a Windy Day (starts at 20 mph of wind).

During a Sandstorm, the background will turn a dusty yellow and a vignette will be applied to the player's screen. Particles of sand can also be seen flying across the screen. While the effects are amplified with Color and White lighting, which may be resource-intensive on some computers, using Retro or Trippy will remove much of the background dust.

Tips

 * Since the Sandstorm only occurs in the surface layer of the desert, the player can fly over it.
 * The Basilisk mount is resistant to the Mighty Wind debuff when the player is in motion. This can ease the player’s task of crossing the desert during this event. However, the Mighty Wind will still push the player around when not in motion.
 * The same is applicable to the Slimy Saddle, which can be useful during pre-Hardmode when trying to cross the Desert, although not to the extent of the Basilisk mount.
 * One way to dodge attacks from enemies like the Angry Tumbler is to have movement accessories like the Dunerider Boots or Lightning Boots.
 * Placing walls in the middle tile of where the player will walk will stop the Mighty Wind debuff, making movement normal.
 * Placing blocks over the entrances to the Underground Desert will help the player avoid falling and getting stuck, because the Mighty Wind pushes the player back.
 * The Mighty Wind Debuff pushes the player less, so players will not have to be worried about getting stuck in small holes.

Trivia

 * The Sandstorm is similar to the Blizzard event in that it reduces visibility and spawns new enemies, though unlike the Blizzard (and some real life sandstorms), it is not tied to rain in any way. It is also similar in that it happens simultaneously with another event - in this case, the Windy Day.
 * The Weather Radio indicates the direction the sand is blowing, and thus the direction the Mighty Wind debuff will push the player.
 * When the Weather Radio indicates that the wind is moving at 0 miles per hour, the sandstorm pushes the player west.