Revelers at Burning Man suffered from hypothermia after unprecedented storms destroyed the festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
The final weekend of the high-energy event came to a halt as frost and mud-caked ground prevailed, stopping all traffic on the site as officials grapple with wrapping up the festival.
Normally Burning Man 2023 is a sun-drenched spectacle of art and self-expression, but instead it was hampered by freezing sleet, dust clouds and swamp-like conditions. Sources told that due to unexpected problems, organizers asked participants with RVs and large vehicles to provide shelter for tent campers and advised people to conserve food and water.
However, those not stuck on site haven’t let the storms dampen their spirits, with local bars packed with festival-goers still hoping to make the best of a bad situation.
Sheltering in place in bars: Some festival-goers headed to local bars to make the most of their trip after storms ruined Burning Man’s final weekend
It is estimated that more than 100,000 people made their way to the Nevada wastelands this year, making the event one of the most attended in Burning Man history and one of the most anticipated events each summer for festival visitors.
But after the skies opened on Thursday, torrential storms are expected to have brought the most rainfall the event has seen since it began in 1986.
Many attendees took to social media to share a glimpse of the destroyed event, with one sharing a grim video of the waterlogged art installations.
In the TikTok, the festival-goer was seen panning a camera across a platform containing several waterlogged sculptures standing in the mud-caked desert.
In another video, a reveler gave his advice on “what to do at Burning Man when it rains.”
While they chose not to go out to local bars with others, they recommended “singing Keoke,” putting plastic zip-top bags over their feet and walking “as little as possible” to avoid the dirty area .
Although organizers told people not to drive over the mud, a group could be heard in the video shouting at a large black SUV to “stop” after several vehicles became stuck in the mud in recent days.
The torrential storms are believed to have brought Burning Man the most rainfall since its founding in 1986, washing out the normally sun-drenched event
The festival was placed under a mandatory stay-in-place order after swampy conditions caused cars to get stuck in mud and soaked art installations and structures at the event
While riding dune buggies and bikes around the Burning Man camp was a regular sight at the annual bash, organizers were also forced to ban the practice due to the treacherous conditions.
“Do not drive your vehicle. Don’t ride your bike, don’t push your bike around. Stay where you are. Secure structures and belongings in your camp,” a message on Twitter urged.
“All planned cremations for this evening (Friday, September 1) are postponed until further notice. Make yourself comfortable, don’t drive, don’t ride a bike, be safe! Shelter in place!’ added another.
The gate will remain closed and no one will be allowed to enter or leave by road or airport, Burning Man posted online.
Sources told that routes to and from the site are expected to be operational again by 11am on Sunday. This was not confirmed by Burning Man organizers, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the event.
Police and rangers moved to higher ground as Burning Man came to a halt during an unprecedented downpour Friday in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert
The Black Rock Desert is experiencing unprecedented rainfall during Burning Man 2023
Organizers even urged people to refrain from pushing or riding bikes, fearing the tires could cause deep ruts after the ground was softened by rain.
Burning Man organizers told participants to shelter in place and not operate generators or other electrically powered devices that sit in the water and cover electrical items.
“You are not allowed to drive your vehicle or ride a bike when it rains. Stay where you are. Make camp. Cover or secure electrical items. “Check on your roommates and neighbors to make sure they are prepared and help if needed,” another message said as the weather turned bad.
Driving was forbidden in Black Rock City as the terrible weather threatened to turn the desert floor into a muddy paste.
About one to two tenths of an inch of rain is expected, which may not seem like much, but even a small amount of rain can cause problems in the Black Rock Desert, which is usually bone dry.
The rain made the ground extremely slippery, and sticky mud stuck to bike tires and shoe treads, forcing participants to shuffle around.
“It’s just very slippery.” And you can’t drive there and it’s hard to maneuver through it and stuff like that. [The ground] Basically it just becomes like a paste. So yeah, certainly not ideal,” meteorologist Scott McGuire told SFGate.
Following Friday’s heavy rain, Sunday is again expected to be one of the wettest days of the festival and although the rain will make the site uncomfortable, flash flooding is not expected.
Temperatures are also expected to be significantly cooler than last year, with highs expected to top 70 over the weekend – significantly lower than the triple-digit temperatures seen during last year’s gathering.
A bright and colorful rainbow stands out against the gray sky in the Nevada desert
Shortly after Friday night’s downpours, a double rainbow was seen
Some cars were stuck in the mud and the desert looked more like a lagoon
In nearby Gerlach, Nevada, hundreds of Burning Man visitors are currently stranded for the night
Driving is not permitted in Black Rock City as the weather threatens to turn the desert floor into paste
The weather complicated matters as more people flocked to the festival last weekend
Friday and Sunday are expected to be the wettest days of the festival
As absorption opportunities are low, conditions could worsen over the weekend
Those responsible for Burning Man urge caution, no matter how much rain ultimately falls
Heavy rains in the Black Rock Desert, where Burning Man is being held, have forced organizers to ban people from leaving the site as widespread mud created treacherous driving conditions
.The roads are so bad that it is virtually impossible to walk, and organizers have asked everyone to hide and stay in their camps
The event – a “rejection of corporatism and capitalism” – brought around 70,000 people to the Nevada desert for a range of hedonistic activities.
But the weather was not on visitors’ side as torrential rain last weekend flooded the area, causing significant delays for those wanting to enter.
Thousands flocked to Black Rock City – located in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert – for the legendary event that has been taking place for nearly 40 years.
The event has become a beacon for the Burners – the name for Black Rock City regulars – who look forward to the festivities all year long.
Despite its reputation, Burning Man organizers define the event not as a festival but as a “community and global cultural movement.”
While the Black Rock Desert rarely gets this much rain at once, last time Burning Man organizers were forced to close the gate for several days
Burning Man organizers are advising burners to shelter in place and not operate generators or other electrically powered devices that sit in the water and cover electrical items
A status update on travel within Black Rock City is expected at 10 a.m. Saturday morning
The National Weather Service report for the Black Rock region shows showers lasting intermittently through Sunday night and then dissipating through Monday
Visitors to “Stranded Burning Man” visit the two local bars in Gerlach, Nevada