Saw our first dust storm today! - Montana Owners Club

boylanag · 02-28-2010, 11:39 AM

We were moving from Marathon, TX to Sierra Blanca and had just passed Marfa on US-90. We pulled into a Picnic Area under beautiful sunshine and had lunch and noticed that the wind had picked up rapidly. After having lunch, we saw brown clouds obscurring the views of the mountains in the distance and as they got closer the wind picked up even more. We soon figured that the brown clouds were dust clouds. Soon it was getting dark and we noticed funnels in the dust clouds. It took about ten minutes after our first spotting for it to reach us. It got dark brown and the winds had to be well over 60 MPH, although I don't pretend to be one that can record wind speeds. A MH had pulled in behind us and we all waited it out. After about five minutes (seemed like a week) it let up some and we could start to see for a hundred feet or so and then more. The wind slowed down to what seemed to be 30-40 MPH and we left our spot. This picnic area was in the middle of a large desert plain and the only thing between the wind and us was the prairie grass. The rest of the trip to I-10 was driving into a strong wind but seemed tame in comparison. This is our first and hopefully our last storm of this type. Being from Michigan, we immediately thought tornado when we saw the small 930-40 foot) funnels of dust. We are set up in Sierra Blanca now and it is still windy but we feel safe so are going next door and try their BBQ!

richfaa · 02-28-2010, 11:59 AM

It will be a long time till you get all the brown dust out of the camper.

KTManiac · 02-28-2010, 06:53 PM

Sounds like Dust Devils. Some can get very large and fairly intense. I used to see them a lot when I was a kid, growing up in NM.

CLICK HERE for Wikipedia Page on Dust Devils.

footloose · 03-01-2010, 02:21 AM

Welcome to the southwest. I guess there is no perfect place for weather. Wait until you experience a Haboob -- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haboob They aren't common occurrences, but we've seen a few in the Yuma area. The best thing to do when they happen is to hunker down.
Dick and Sharon

boylanag · 03-01-2010, 02:51 AM

Wow! Thanks, KT and Dick and Sharon. I am sure, now, that is just what we saw - a Haboob with the Dust Devils forming in the leading edge. I took photos and the heavy dust make them seem somewhat blurry but they show just what your information described and had pix of. Thanks, Again - Jim

Mynabird · 03-01-2010, 05:39 AM

Jim, we lived in Pecos in 1976 for 6 months in a TT and Bob worked as plumber for a new commercial construction company. The 1st sandstorm we saw was quite an interesting lesson! Wondered why everyone left work, playgrounds, shopping and went home! Then ...we learned and started putting kids toys away and closing windows (as if that did any good) to slow down the sand and dirt seeping in!

Glad you are ok and thanks for the memories and for giving what we called sandstorms a name! (I always thought they looked like tornadoes also as I grew up in Illinois and lived there 30 yrs)

sreigle · 03-02-2010, 06:33 AM

Yep, those had to be dust devils. Just wait, in Arizona or New Mexico you may see dust devils on their own, no clouds around them. In an rv park in Tucson back in 2003 I saw one roll across the park and rip a patio awning off a Class A and throw it into a fifthwheel (or travel trailer, can't remember) two sites down.

I'm glad you didn't have any damage, Jim. A strong sand storm can scour the paint right off your new truck.

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