Blinding dust storms, thunderstorms and high winds greet the thousands descending on the Nevada desert for the annual Burning Man festival

Burning Man attendees faced the threat of dust storms and heavy rain as the festival opened, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing weather alerts for northern and central Nevada. Burning Man is a week-long festival set in the desert, where attendees create art, music and culture.

Among Burning Man attendees, it's become an article of faith that outsiders will seize any opportunity to suggest the event has lost its cool.