Dust Storm — Moses Lake Area, Washington

2024-09-29 · Moses Lake Area, Washington

Event narrative

Trained spotter reported dust storm reduced visibility to less than two car lengths near Soap Lake. A public report stated a dust channel was moving west to east 10 miles North of Moses Lake and reduced visibility to less than half a mile. Time is estimated from satellite data.

Wider weather episode

A dry cold front pushed through the region on September 29. It brought strong winds ranging from 40 to 53 MPH across the Columbia Basin. The region had very little precipitation for several weeks prior and also saw an increase in agricultural activity for the season. The winds picked up the dry, loose dirt and caused a dust storm stretching from Soap Lake area into the Pullman area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1219031. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.