Did it rain dirt last night in Indiana? Here’s what we know

Did you notice splotches of dirt on your car in Indiana this morning? Blame Kansas and Nebraska.

A rare phenomenon combined with a gentle rainfall left a light coating of dust on many vehicles Feb. 18.

Windstorms in Great Plains states like Kansas and Nebraska kicked up dirt and dust on Feb. 17 and sent it into the atmosphere, explained National Weather Service meteorologist Casey Crosby based in Indianapolis.

These Great Plains regions storms are typical for this time of year when the wind really kicks up, Crosby said. The winds are so strong, they keep that dirt aloft and push it hundreds of miles east. Crosby estimated the dirt was about 5,000-10,000 feet in the air when it reached Indiana last night into early morning.

A light precipitation fell through the layer of dust and brought it down to the ground. The rain was too light to wash away the dirt it deposited on the vehicles.

“It takes the right situation [for the dirt to stick],” Crosby said. “A strong storm with a heavy line of thunderstorms would have washed it away.”

Rainfall records show areas of Indiana north of Interstate 70 had the right conditions for the dirty rain. Social media posts depicting dirty vehicles come from as far north as the Chicago region.

Crosby, who has worked as a meteorologist in Indianapolis for about 15 years, said he’s only seen this happen a few times.

Indianapolis’s current weather radar

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk or BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social

IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.