Weather Talk: Springtime dust storms of 1980s, 1990s will come again

This will date me a little, but I remember the days when spring in the Red River Valley was a time of blowing dust. Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, when the soils were not so perpetually soaked from frequent rains and heavy snows, it was typical for blowing dust to be heavy enough in the air to restrict visibility. Prior to 1993, when the "wet cycle" began, exposed topsoil from late March through April and May would often become powder dry to a depth of several inches. The 40 mph gusts on spring's windiest days would cause the dry soil to blow and drift like a brown blizzard. In extremely dry springs, such as 1988, snowplows would sometimes become necessary to clear the higher dust drifts from the roads. A clear blue sky in the morning would become a filthy yellow color by afternoon and sun would appear through the haze as a burnt brown disk. Springtime dust storms will come again. All that is required is dry soil and a windy day.