(La Porte County, IN) - Car washes were busy yesterday because of what looked like mud that fell from the sky.

During the early morning hours, the dirt was in the rain that came down for about a two hour period before 6 a.m.  According to weather experts like our very own Wayne Mahar, it’s something that happens only every now and then.

This time, blowing dust along with smoke and ash from wildfires in the central and southern plain rose high into the air and were blown into the rain clouds by strong winds coming out of the southwest, Mahar said.

The result was motor vehicles covered in dirty rain drops not just in La Porte but other places like Kouts and Chicago.

"The many small dirt splotches would likely be just plain raindrops if not for the dirt," Mahar said.