Moses Lake Area storm history

Prior to 7 AM, a 9-year-old was killed in a crash just south of Warden after the vehicle he was traveling in hit a patch of ice and spun off the roadway. The three other occupants sustained non-life-threatening injuries. An estimated 3 inches of snow was reported.

A Grant County official reported road closures 5 miles northeast of Moses Lake. Blowing dust created near zero visibility due to strong winds. There was one fatality in a vehicle stopped on the side of the road to wait out the poor visibility. The car was subsequently rear ended …

The Washington State Patrol reported one fatality (indirect) when a motorist tried to pass another car on a two lane road during a period of dense fog. The car ran into an oncoming semi truck. The driver of the car was killed while the driver of the truck escaped injury.

Strong winds and dry conditions resulted in blowing dust and near zero visibility in southeastern Douglas County. A state trooper reported that an eight vehicle pile-up, with minor injuries, occurred along State Route 26, near Othello. Blowing dust led to hazardous driving condit…

A bus carrying 52 members of the University of Washington marching band encountered an icy road surface and slid off of Interstate-90 near George and rolled over resulting in minor injuries to the driver and 39 passengers. The Moses Lake Airport ASOS indicated intermittent light …

Moses Lake Airport recorded a gust of 60 mph at 0551 LST. Ephrata Airport recorded a gusts of 52 mph 0420 LST. Unknown number of customers affected by power outages in Moses Lake. Damage cost is estimated.

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.

Freezing fog around Othello led to icy road conditions and caused two accidents. First accident occurred 4 miles West of Othello on state route 26. Vehicle lost control and landed in ditch injuring 5 occupants. Second accident occurred state route 17 North of Othello. Tanker cras…

Mesonet station AV884 2 miles Southeast of Beverly recorded a gust of 86 MPH at 0722 LST. No damage was reported in area. Other gusts in the ranged from 45 to 55 MPH.

Unknown cause started the wildfire on July 10. It was contained on July 16. It burned 2400 acres of grassland. No structures lost.

Drumheller fire started on June 14 from unknown causes. It burned 929 acres of grassland.

AV884 in Beverly recorded a gust of 63 MPH at 1902LST. A gust of 61 MPH was recorded 2 miles West of Mattawa.

Observer measured 6 inches of snow in Ephrata.

Observer reported 7 inches of snowfall 7 miles south of Moses Lake. Soap Lake, Ephrata, and Quincy had reports of 6 to 8 inches. Royal city had a report of 4 inches.

Station recorded gust of 66 MPH.

Mesonet Beverly recorded a gust of 81 MPH at 1230LST. Several other sites in the zone recorded gusts into the upper 40s and low 50s. The winds caused blowing dust to reduce visibility to near 2 miles.

Across the Columbia Basin, in Moses Lake, Quincy, and Ephrata, heavy snow began falling overnight that accumulated to 5 to 10 inches by mid-morning. Quincy School District cancelled school due to the poor weather conditions.

There were reports of a power pole and lines down due to strong winds. Blowing dust reduced visibility across Highway 28 in Soap Lake.

From June 26 to 30th, Moses Lake and Ephrata had high temperatures reach between 103 to 116 degrees, which is abnormally warm for end of June. Ephrata broke their all time high maximum temperature when the airport reached 116 degrees on June 29th. Local libraries were arranged to…

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 multi…

A Mesonet station in Beverly observed wind gusts 30-40 mph. There were reports of several broken power poles and power lines covering streets.

A National Weather Service employee reported blowing dust south of Othello, on State Route 24, with near zero visibility. There were reports from Washington State Patrol of blowing dust across I-90 near Warden and Moses Lake. There were no reports of accidents or injuries.

Strong winds from a passing cold front created dangerous driving conditions in the dry Columbia Basin. The peak wind gusts reached 40-50 mph across the area, which included Moses Lake, Ephrata, and Othello. A significant portion of Interstate 90 and State Route 26 were closed due…

A member of the public, in Moses Lake, reported 5.0 inches of new snow accumulation.

Law enforcement reported a semi-truck rollover on State Route 243. Roadway was closed due to frozen fruit on the roadway.

A member of the public in Soap Lake reported visibility less than half a mile due to blowing dust from strong winds.

Local broadcast media reported extensive roof damage to the gymnasium at Ancient Lakes Elementary School in Quincy. The maximum wind speed is an approximate, but estimated based on severity of damage to the structure.

A trained spotter reported a tree snapped at the base by strong winds. No damage was reported.

The Coulee Meadows Fire, 18 miles east of Ephrata, started on July 30th and burned a total 794 acres of dry sage and brush before contained on August 5. There were Level 1 evacuation notices, but no structures or homes were damaged or lost. The cost of the firefighting resources …

A member of the public reported that there was a dust storm ahead of the incoming thunderstorm in Moses Lake. There were wind gusts reported at Moses Lake Airport reaching 45 mph.

A member of the public reported that a wall of dust moved through the Ephrata area.

Strong local winds led to power outages in the Mae Valley Area of Moses Lake.

The Columbia Basin Herald reported over 25 collisions including slide-offs and some roll-overs on interstate 90 between George and Moses Lake. The Eastbound lane of the interstate was closed between 4:30 PM PST and 7:30 PM. Two minor injuries to motorists were reported.

The 243 Command Fire started June 3, near Highway 243 and Wanapum Dam. Breezy winds pushed the fire easterly through the Lower Crab Creek Canyon. The fire crews were able to contain it between the canyon's northern and southern ridges. The fire burned 20,380 acres of range land.

The Grant County Airport ASOS sensor recorded 0.05 inches of freezing rain accumulation.

A spotter in Moses lake reported 0.08 inches of ice accumulation from freezing rain and his driveway a sheet of ice.

The Grant County Sheriff reported an SUV slid off of an icy road and rolled leading to one fatality and 3 injuries among the 4 occupants of the car. The Moses Lake ASOS reported freezing rain during the hours leading up to the accident.

An air quality sensor in Moses Lake recorded generally Unhealthy air quality with a brief peak into the Very Unhealthy range from August 20th through the 21st as smoke from regional wildfires blew into the region.

An air quality sensor in Quincy recorded generally Unhealthy air quality with occasional spikes into the Very Unhealthy and Hazardous range from August 19th through the 21st as smoke from regional wildfires blew into the region.

Freezing rain deposited 0.26 inch of ice accumulation at the Grant County International Airport.

Freezing rain deposited 0.25 inch of glaze ice in Moses Lake.

Freezing rain deposited a quarter inch of ice accumulation at Moses Lake.

Freezing rain deposited a half inch of ice accumulation at Soap Lake.

Freezing rain deposited a six tenths of an inch of ice accumulation at Ephrata.

One inch of sleet and then freezing rain causing a quarter inch of ice accumulation was noted at Quincy.

The Grant County Sheriff reported areas of near zero visibility and many vehicles stuck in snow drifts on county roads and state routes in the Quincy and Winchester area. The ASOS observations from nearby Moses Lake Airport and Ephrata Airport reported 25 to 30 mph sustained wind…