Strong winds make for another dusty day causing poor visibility
It’s another windy day in the desert with dust filling the air, causing poor visibility. You could probably see the brown haze sitting over the Valley.
We’ve been dealing with a lot dusty days, especially after Tropical Storm Hilary.
“It’s dusty, the wind is blowing and sand is all over the place," said resident David Henbest.
Sand on the roads and in the sky are impacting residents like Henbest.
In every direction, the usual mountain views we see on the Valley floor are blocked by a fog of dust.
“It’s part of the life out here, we just have to get used to it. Don’t like it, but it’s part of life," said Henbest.
Although it has become a part of life out here in the desert, there are cities actively working to improve conditions.
The City of Palm Desert tells me they are taking a proactive rather than a reactive approach to help mitigate sand during, before and after days like this.
“We started incorporating recycled palm mulch. We also installed protective fencing at some of these critical areas that are problematic. And we also seal some of these larger areas with a soil stabilizer to prevent sand from causing issues," said Randy Chavez, the Deputy Director of Public Works for Palm Desert.
We spoke with Chavez back in June along Dinah Shore, where there used to be sand dunes up to 2 feet high. With their new approach, much of it is gone. He tells us they are constantly working with the community’s safety in mind.
“We do what we can to make sure that the conditions are as safe as possible for all the drivers. And a big portion of especially during these windy conditions is doing our best to try to minimize the nuisance sand," he said.
If you are driving through the dust, keep an eye out for road closures.
If the visibility is poor, the National Weather Service urges you to pull over where it’s safe. If you can’t , then drive the speed limit and let the painted centerline help guide you.
