Burning Man 2015. Aly Weisman/Business Insider Two years ago, I went to the Burning Man festival for the first time. The weather then was perfect — clear blue skies and 90-degree temperatures in the dry Nevada desert feels amazing, and there were none of the much hyped dust storms that I had prepared for by packing goggles, masks, and scarves.

Last year it rained early on in the festival, which was actually a blessing because it limited the dust throughout the weekend.

But the weather at this year's Burning Man was a different story.

The festival nearly came to a standstill on Friday as strong gusts of wind prompted intense dust storms that lasted throughout the day. While we did see blue skies other days, it was usually in pockets between whiteouts.