snirt storm

A snirt storm is a blizzard on the Great Plains of North America. The snow is actually made up a of combination of snowflakes and dirt particles. Because the wind is so strong in flat areas like plains, it pulls topsoil right up into the air. If you walked outdoors during a snirt storm you would feel constant stings of sand-sized particles sandblasting your face. When people get back indoors, they have a very distinctive appearance, because the dirt accumulates around their eyes, making them look like raccoons.

Everyone scurried indoors to escape the snirt storm, but not before their eyes had become encrusted in black dirt, making them look like raccoons.