Dust Storm in Sheridan, Kansas

Law enforcement reported reduced visibility while responding to a fatal, multi-car accident occurred due to blowing dust caused by strong winds. The accident was due to extremely reduced visibility caused by blowing dust.

In the latter half of the morning on December 2nd, strong, dry southwesterly winds began picking up dirt and dust in Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas. This led to areas of reduced visibility due to the blowing dust across Eastern Colorado, Western Kansas, and extreme Southwest Nebraska. A strong cold front entered Northwest Kansas around 11 AM and quickly moved southeast. Before this cold front moved in, it was already collecting dust along its leading edge, forming a wall of dust resembling a haboob.

As this cold front swept through the area, it gathered more dust and grew in severity and longevity. Many photos and videos showing a wall of dust a few hundred feet high were sent to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Goodland, Kansas. When the wall of dust moved over an area, visibility would drop to near or less than 0.25 mile with wind gusts near and exceeding 70 mile per hour. Strong northwesterly winds and 0.25-mile visibility behind the initial wall of dust would continue for an hour or longer before subsiding.

Two multi-vehicle accidents were reported, indirectly caused by this dust storm. The first accident was occurred on I-70 near mile marker 77. This accident caused lane blockage on I-70 and some traffic was diverted, however the interstate never fully shutdown. No injuries or fatalities were reported from this accident. The other accident occurred on US Highway 24, west of Hoxie, Kansas. This accident accounted for the sole fatality of this storm event. A wildfire that burned nearly 2250 acres was also reported in Wallace County just before the dust storm swept through the area. This fire was caused by a power line that was blown over into a grass field. The highest recorded wind gust of the day was in Sharon Springs, Kansas at 75 miles per hour.