Blowing Dust and High Wind Warnings Issued for Portions of Colorado and Kansas
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 1, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Blowing Dust Warning and High Wind Warning for parts of Colorado and Kansas, warning of life-threatening travel and 65 mph gusts.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Blowing Dust Warning
- Affected area
- East Central Colorado and Northwest Kansas
- Issued
- April 1, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Goodland
The warning type, named area, and issue time define this record. Confirm all three against the original agency notice before treating it as current.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in East Central Colorado and Northwest Kansas.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Goodland, KS, has issued a Blowing Dust Warning and a High Wind Warning. These alerts indicate widespread blowing dust, potential brownout conditions, and dangerously high wind speeds across the region.
Affected Areas
The warnings cover portions of east central and northeast Colorado, as well as northwest and west central Kansas. Specific counties include:
- Colorado: Yuma, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne.
- Kansas: Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Greeley, and Wichita.
What You Should Do
Residents are encouraged to stay indoors to avoid poor air quality. If you must be outside, wear a protective breathing mask. High dust concentrations can aggravate respiratory and heart-related problems, especially in children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.
For motorists: If you encounter blowing dust or a sudden drop in visibility, follow the "Pull Aside, Stay Alive" protocol:
- Pull off the road as far as possible.
- Put the vehicle in park.
- Turn all lights off.
- Keep your foot off the brake pedal.
Additionally, residents should fasten or shelter loose objects, stay in the lower levels of their homes, and avoid windows to protect against falling debris and tree limbs.
Expected Conditions
The region is experiencing north winds between 35 to 45 mph, with gusts reaching up to 65 mph. These winds are generating widespread blowing dust and local brownout conditions, leading to severely limited and rapidly changing visibilities. High winds may also cause property damage and power outages. Travel will be difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles.
Timeline
- Blowing Dust Warning: Effective until 2:00 PM MDT (3:00 PM CDT) this afternoon.
- High Wind Warning: Effective until 8:00 PM MDT (9:00 PM CDT) this evening.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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