Dust Storm — Moses Lake Area, Washington

2021-05-27 · Moses Lake Area, Washington

Event narrative

Strong winds, with gusts up to 50 mph, and dry conditions led to numerous dust storms throughout the afternoon in the Columbia Basin. The Department of Highways reported significant blowing dust with near zero visibility across roadways. Decreasing visibility contributed to multiple collisions on Interstate 90 around Moses Lake. This led to road closures for several hours. Avista Utilities reported power outages in the Othello area around the time of peak winds.

Wider weather episode

A cold front passage brought strengthening and shifting winds on May 27th. Gusts reached speeds of 40 to 55 mph across the Interstate 90 and US Highway 2 corridors. The current drought, with loose field soils, produced the prime conditions for blowing dust from the strong winds.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 959932. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.