A windstorm in the Salt Lake Valley on Monday floated clouds of dust over the Basin just as a quick downpour fell.
The result was a muddy rain that coated every vehicle in Summit County and gave local carwashes their best day of business in years on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Locals reported long lines at every garage this week as people struggled to wash off the dirt before it hardened.
Nate Simmons, manager of Travel Clean near McDonald’s in Kimball Junction, said people were asking him if there had been a volcano.
For Travel Clean it was an eruption of business.
“It was the biggest day since we’ve been open which was in 2004,” he said. “We pray for those kinds of days every day.”
Mark J. Fischer, owner of Ol’ Miner Car Wash on Bonanza Drive said the mud was a bonanza for him as well.
“Everyone has been busing through here,” he said.
Jess Beckman at the Terrible Herbst Chevron station at Kimball Junction said they saw 200 vehicles on Tuesday and Wednesday.