Town invaded by tumbleweeds in incredible footage

A town in the United States was overrun by tumbleweeds after a perfect storm of weather conditions.

Under the right circumstances, tumbleweeds can pile up in such large numbers that they cause a lot of disruption. In Washington state in 2020, cars were left abandoned on a highway after the roadway was completely covered.

Now, in Utah, thousands of tumbleweeds have rolled into towns around South Jordan following a spring storm, inundating the roads and people’s properties.

Tumbleweeds form as part of a plant known as Russian thistle. Once the plants have matured and dried, the bushy part detaches and roll with the wind to disperse their seeds.

Strong winds blew thousands of the dried plants into South Jordan, where they have formed piles up to three metres (10 feet) high in some instances.

Speaking to local news channel KSL TV, John Young, a resident of an affected town named Daybreak, explained: “We’ve had a few tumbleweeds but nothing like this. We had an area over here that filled up two years ago, maybe. But nothing to this volume. It’s absolutely crazy.”

The state experienced wind speeds of up to 65mph which helped to bring the weeds in. City workers are undergoing a major tumbleweed clean-up to clear roads and pavements.

Rachel Van Cleave, South Jordan communications manager, explained: “Luckily, it’s something we can handle. This is not our first tumble-mageddon.”

Hours after the tumbleweed arrived, the area was also hit by snow as the severe weather event continued.

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