Dallas, Austin shrouded by dust storm sweeping across Texas

An otherworldly scene unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in some of the biggest cities in Texas, paired with 60-mph winds that forced ground stops at major airports.

An otherworldly scene unfolded across parts of Texas on Tuesday as a dust storm swept across the state, blocking out the sun and making it dark enough that drivers needed to use headlights in the middle of the afternoon.

Strong winds fueled by a large storm swirling over the central United States kicked up dust from the west on Monday. Winds continued to carry the dust eastward throughout Tuesday, and had reached downtown Dallas by the afternoon. Visibility plummeted to just 2 miles—similar to a foggy day in the city. The dust eventually reached Austin and San Antonio just as the Tuesday evening commute began.

Ground stops were issued at Dallas-Fort Worth Intl. Airport and Austin Bergstrom Intl. Airport due to strong winds and blowing dust, resulting in over 500 flight cancellations. At one point, winds gusted up to 60 mph in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Air quality reached "unhealthy" levels in San Antonio late Tuesday afternoon as the dust arrived. With an AQI of 110, anyone outdoors could experience throat irritation or difficulty breathing.

On Monday afternoon, a fast-moving dust storm, also known as a haboob, ripped across southwestern New Mexico, prompting officials to issue "shelter in place" orders.

Multiple accidents were reported on highways amid the dusty conditions, with near-zero visibility and 45-mph wind gusts during the worst of the storm.

On Saturday, March 1, at least four people died in a pileup on Interstate 10 west of Phoenix amid thick, blowing dust and wind gusts up to 40 mph.

Report a Typo