It’s Not the End Times, Just a Colorado Dust Storm

Probably the most forgotten fact about Colorado and the American west in general, is that much of it is desert. Anytime you have a lot of dirt, dust and sand floating around, you run the risk of encountering one of nature's most deceptively dangerous gifts: the dust or sand storm.

If you've been watching the news, you probably heard that a major dust storm shut down US Highway 287 near Springfield on March 30th. Due to the strong winds, visibility was basically zero. This lead to much of the road being closed all the way to Colorado's southern border. That's a lot of dust.

Get our free mobile app

Despite the fact that they can come out of nowhere and resemble the 'End Times', these dustups tend to be relatively harmless on their own, provided you can remain indoors and avoid large amounts of dust inhalation. Where you run into problems is when a dust storm kicks up with drivers and vehicles on the roadways. What happens when people operating heavy machinery suddenly can't see? Exactly what you think would happen.

Per the National Weather Service, if you ever find yourself caught in a sudden dust storm while driving, you should pull over as soon as is safe for you to do so, put the car in park, and turn off your lights. Should there be enough visibility to continue moving forward, be sure to keep your lights on, and sound your horn regularly, so people can tell where you are.

In the name of prevention, keep up with any alerts about high wind in your area before you make any road trips. The National Weather Service issues alerts when you need to be cautious, so make sure you use them as a resource. It could save your life.

Source: Out There Colorado