Were Burning Man festival gates closed for attendees? Everything we know so far amid extreme weather conditions 

Attendees at the Burning Man festival reportedly faced harsh weather conditions in the Nevada desert. SF Gate reported that the event organisers closed the gates into and out of "Black Rock City" on Tuesday evening. According to the festival's organisers, ongoing updates about the weather and traffic conditions are being provided on the BRC dashboard.

According to the NY Post, the National Weather Service had reportedly issued warnings of an upcoming storm. Meteorologist Mark Deutschendorf had previously spoken to SF Gate on August 20 and had anticipated that if "showers and thunderstorms" hit the "desert", they could potentially lead to "hazardous conditions."

Burning Man Festival's official social media team had reshared a festival attendee (@elpulpomecanico)'s post on their Instagram story, reporting that the weather had shifted at the festival. Posted approximately 12 hours ago, the post noted,

"Burning Man weather conditions have improved."

Everything we know so far amid extreme weather conditions at the Burning Man festival

The Burning Man festival, scheduled between August 24 to September 1, has reportedly been hit with harsh weather conditions. Several videos and photos from Black Rock City went viral, which reportedly showed the festival site being hit with a dust storm and rain, per The Guardian.

As a consequence, the festival organisers took extra precautions and closed the gates to Black Rock City. The most recent post on the BRC dashboard (approximately 2 hours ago) confirmed the closure of the gates "due to rain." They (@bmantraffic) wrote,

"Do not travel to BRC at this time. SR447 has been closed in Nixon, and you will be turned around."

They added,

"If you are in Black Rock City: Keep an eye out for lightning, take care of your camps, and stay safe. The playa is too wet to drive. Do not drive. If you are already on SR447 heading toward Gerlach, drive carefully and ensure you wait out stormy conditions in a sensible location that does not impact residents or traffic."

They clarified information about the parking space and requested attendees to be mentally prepared for the circumstances.

"Gerlach does not have parking capacity for waiting vehicles. Travel time into the event site could take more than 8 hours. Plan your travel accordingly and be prepared to wait."

Similar weather conditions had reportedly been witnessed by Burning Man festival attendees in 2023. According to SF Gate, unexpected thunderstorms had led to severe muddiness, leaving many stuck at the festival site.

Travellers and festival goers can be on the lookout for storm signals through the BRC dashboard or their X channel, which is providing regular updates.

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