Burning Man attendees faced the threat of dust storms and heavy rain as the festival opened, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing weather alerts for northern and central Nevada.
Why It Matters
Burning Man is a week-long festival set in the desert, where attendees create art, music and culture.
The festival is staged in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, within Black Rock City—a temporary settlement built just for the event. It emphasizes community and inclusivity, taking its name from the effigy burned on its penultimate night.
The inclement weather threatens to put a dampener on the opening days of the festival, expected to be attended by some 70,000-80,000 people, according to ABC 7.
What To Know
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that campsites that had been erected early were damaged after a dust storm hit the desert before the festival began.
A dust advisory issued Saturday by the NWS said that a “wall of blowing dust” coming off the Smoke Creek and Black Rock Desert playa areas was moving north at around 30 mph.
The agency warned of sudden reductions in visibility, which could be to less than a mile. It advised that travel should be delayed.
Footage shared on social media appeared to show festival-goers attempting to secure their tents amid the dust storm. Newsweek was unable to independently verify the video.
On Sunday, the NWS warned that scattered thunderstorms were expected in northern and central Nevada until 10 p.m. that evening, a few of which could be strong, it said.
The agency said wind gusts near 50 miles per hour would be possible, and that localized flooding could occur.
“If you’re on the playa at the Black Rock Desert, you may very well be in for a muddy mess Monday through Wednesday, a forecast issued from the NWS office in Reno on Sunday said.
Showers and thunderstorms would be possible for the region through midweek, the NWS said.
An update from festival organizers issued early Monday said the rain and wind had stopped in Black Rock City and that the ground was beginning to dry.
What People Are Saying
The National Weather Service forecast office in Elko, Nevada, said in a post on X, Sunday: “Monsoonal moisture will surge northward into most of Northern and Central Nevada today through Wednesday, resulting in the likelihood of wetting thunderstorms each afternoon and evening. Heavy rain may result in minor flooding of recent burn scars, streams, and creeks.”
What Happens Next
The Burning Man festival takes place from August 24 to September 1.
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