A dust devil tornado whirled next to a road in the United Arab Emirates.

Driver Alma Vida spotted the twister as she was coasting along the highway in Ras al-Khaimah City on June 16.

Footage shows how the rotating air column zipped across the sandy roadside, picking up dust as vehicles sped past.

Dust devil tornadoes are types of whirlwinds that form when the sun heats a patch of land and the air above becomes warmer and rises quickly.

Cooler air then moves into the low-pressure gap left by the rising warm air. The new drafts of cooler air also heat up and rise and the cycle continues, picking up dust and debris and making the spiral visible.

They are not as dangerous as supercell tornadoes, which can cause severe damage.