Drivers in Albuquerque are used to seeing the occasional tumbleweed, but an incident Friday near Kirtland Air Force Base brought traffic to a halt.

A wall of tumbleweeds, approximately 7 feet tall and spanning two lanes of traffic appeared near the military base Friday afternoon, according to KRQE.

High winds are blamed for the unusual event.

Drivers were forced to maneuver around the rogue tumbleweeds until a landscaping crew could remove them. Traffic slowed as many drivers stopped to take photos.

KRQE reported that the tumbleweeds were removed with pitchforks and placed into a garbage compactor.

About the Author

Keep Reading

An aerial image shows part of John A. White Park taken on Wednesday, July 4, 2025, where the City of Atlanta plans to build new trails as part of the citywide Trails ATL plan. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Scott Jackson (right), business service consultant for WorkSource Fulton, helps job seekers with their applications in a mobile career center at a job fair hosted by Goodwill Career Center in Atlanta. (Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC)

Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC