High Plains Haboob!

I know I haven't posted anything since early spring, but frankly, with this summer's drought there hasn't been much to post except for dead grass and a thermometer that went up to 112 one day.  No tomatoes, no peppers.  I did get some peaches.

Anyhow...

I was sitting on the couch at about 5:30 this evening, and all of the sudden I noticed it started to look strange all over, and I thought, "Man, that's a weird color coming from outside."

So I walked to the door and saw a massive dust storm.  I rushed the dogs into the house and grabbed my camera.  Happily, as I cracked the back door open to take these pictures my cat ran outside and stood proudly on the patio.  I threw her back in the house, and I swear she looked like I'd hurt her feelings or insulted her.

I guess t-sips would like it here because the whole town was burnt orange!

Minutes after the initial blast.

This is the first picture I attempted to take.  The flash was set to "automatic," and it was so dark outside that it went off.  As a result, all you can see are dirt flecks flying past the camera.

The aftermath on my passion vine.

I just got done vaccuuming out my truck.  I'd left the windows cracked after a trip to the store today, and there was so much dirt inside that I would not have been able to get in there tomorrow and still look presentable by the time I got to work.  I am not known amongst friends and family for keeping the cleanest truck, but this was more dirt than even I could handle.

Guess I'll spend the rest of the evening trying to scrape up dirt from inside the house.

Here is a picture that shows the scope of this thing better than my orange pictures of the back yard, and hopefully I'll be able to update this post with some of the video they've been showing up here.  It's unbelievable.

UPDATE:  Here is a video I found on You Tube.