Dusty winds severely reduces driving visibility
High winds are kicking up dust into the air in some areas of the valley, reducing visibility to just one car’s length in some cases.
A windblown dust advisory has been issued in the Coachella Valley through Friday evening.
According to the SCAQMD, strong northwest winds overnight from the San Gorgonio Pass with the passage of a weak cold front resulted in unhealthy air quality in Coachella Valley this morning.
The winds resulted in a harrowing commute for some drivers.
“All of a sudden, we went into a sandstorm,” said Greg Zrust, who’s visiting Palm Springs. “Like, ‘whoa, what is this? This is kind of — I’ve never done this before in my life!'”
For some, it was like a scene out of a movie.
“One moment it was completely dark,” said Artem Vardian. “Mist was moving around and it was a very unusual feeling, like we were in some horror movie.”
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Friday night, the Palm Springs Police Department closed Indian Canyon Drive through the White Water wash due to blowing sand and poor visibility. The road has since been reopened.
Drivers said a thin, silty layer of sand blanketed everything in sight, including cars and homes.
They urged others drivers to use caution in these conditions.
“Stay diligent, keep your eyes open, and don’t be on your phone. Simple as that,” Kvale said. “Watch the person in front of you because they could literally stop on a dime.”
You can reach Jake on Twitter, Facebook or email him at jake.ingrassia@kesq.com.
