The skies of southern Australia turned a hazy orange this week as a dust storm reduced visibility, prompting health warnings and creating scenes reminiscent of an apocalyptic movie, rather than a late-autumn day.

The storm was driven by powerful winds carrying dust from the drought-stricken ground of South Australia into the neighboring states of Victoria and New South Wales on Monday and Tuesday. Skies were smothered in major cities including Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather update early Monday as a very strong cold front moved in from the south and reached the mainland of southern Australia on Monday morning.

By Monday afternoon, wind gusts had reached over 78 miles per hour in parts of South Australia. Wind alerts extended across parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, warning that strong winds might lead to falling trees and branches, as well as dust and reduced visibility.

The dust storm is a result of very dry land from longer-term weather conditions across Australia. Since early 2023, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania have seen some of their lowest rainfall since 1900, the Bureau of Meteorology reported in early May.

Slow-moving high-pressure systems have led to unusually warm and dry conditions — a continuation of weather patterns seen through much of 2024, the report said.