A crash in Colorado this week killed four people and caused a “blackout” caused by high winds that swept mud and dust into the air, causing visibility to plummet on a stretch of interstate in the southeastern part of the state, the Associated Press reported. The strong winds were produced by major storms that affected several states on Tuesday and continue to affect much of the country.
More than 23 million people in a dozen states were under wind warnings. The strongest winds prompted wind warnings for more than 500,000 people in Arizona, Minnesota and South Dakota. A wind warning was also issued for eastern Colorado at the time of the accident.
Strong winds whipped up dirt and dust, causing a fatal pileup involving more than 20 vehicles on Interstate 25 about 2 miles from Pueblo. Poor visibility may have been a major factor in the crash. “Visibility was almost zero,” Maj. Brian Lyons of the Colorado State Patrol told The Associated Press. Lyons calls the situation a “blackout.”
“Areas of dust may reduce visibility to less than a mile at times,” the National Weather Service Pueblo office warned Tuesday. “During the storm, stay on lower floors of your home and avoid windows. Be aware of falling debris and tree limbs. If you must drive, use caution.”
A dust warning is also in effect Tuesday afternoon. “Visibility is expected to be severely limited,” the warning said. “Travel will be hazardous and potentially life-threatening. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-end vehicles.” Visibility may drop to less than a quarter of a mile, the warning states, and it advises against travel.
The forecast calls for sustained winds of 20-40 mph, with gusts up to 65 mph. The NWS office reported several gusts over 70 mph throughout the day. The strongest gust in Kuchara reached 83 mph.
Drought conditions have expanded in the Centennial State since the fall. Nearly 56% of Colorado is in at least moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The increase since mid-November is 24%. A vital reservoir in the Southwest is also facing growing pressure as a snow drought strains water supplies in the Colorado River Basin, forcing officials to consider emergency releases.
Oklahoma is also affected by strong winds, with more than 74% of the state experiencing at least moderate drought. The storm fueled massive wildfires that have burned more than 300,000 acres.
Earth’s overheating is exacerbating extreme weather events such as droughts. If the world continues to warm, multi-year droughts will become more severe and affect larger areas of the globe, scientists say.
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