Watch: Massive bushes inundate Utah town after ‘tumbleweed storm’

Residents of the Western US state of Utah are grappling with tumbleweeds following a massive storm over the weekend. Residents in South Jordan said the invasive weeds inundated roads, lanes, streets and houses as people urged the authorities to come to their rescue.

“Luckily, it’s something we can handle,” said Rachel Van Cleave, South Jordan communications manager. “This is not our first tumble-mageddon,” Cleave was quoted as saying by local media.

According to ABC4 news, strong winds of over 100km/h knocked trees over, uprooted power lines and damaged roads.

In what came as a double whammy for South Jordan residents, the city was hit by snow as soon as tumbleweeds swept across.

“We’ve had a few tumbleweeds but nothing like this,” local resident John Young was quoted as saying by local media KSL TV. “It’s absolutely crazy,” he added.

What are tumbleweeds?

Tumbleweeds are the bushy parts of a Russian invasive weed called thistle. Each winter, as the plant dies, the bushy part gets snapped off at the root and blows away in the wind.

The large bushes then tumble across the landscape, sometimes even inundating cities altogether.

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Tumbleweed storms are quite common in the US as well as Australia. In 2020, drivers in Washington State had to endure a tumbleweed pileup of 15ft, forcing authorities to shut down highways on both sides.

Back in 2018, a tumbleweed storm of a similar intensity wreaked havoc on California, bringing the entire town to a screeching halt.

In 2016, a type of tumbleweed known as “hairy panic” inundated an entire Australian town.

(With inputs from agencies)