'Muddy rain' carries dust from drought-stricken southwestern U.S.

If your car or truck was out in the rain this morning, you probably need an unscheduled trip through the car wash.

Much of the Midwest has experienced a rather rare weather phenomenon this week, driven by extreme drought in the U.S. southwest.

Meteorologists say it was a classic case of 'dirty rain' or 'dust rain' this morning. This can happen when strong winds carry dust particles aloft from dry, arid regions and mix with rain drops at higher altitudes. The dust is particularly common in areas affected by drought. It can travel thousands of miles before it settles out.

When a storm system moves through, it can pick up the airborne particles and carry them across long distances, only to have them fall back to Earth when rain hits. This results in the muddy spots you've seen on cars and outdoor surfaces.

It's a similar phenomenon as when smoke from Canadian wildfires descended on us the past few years, causing gray skies and even some respiratory issues outdoors.