Dust Storm in California, September 9, 1998

Name: Dust Storm in California, September 9, 1998
Start: 1998-09-09T15:50
End: 1998-09-09T16:30
Location: California

September 9, 1998 · NWS SGX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 dust storm, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 4
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Dust Storm, C Riverside

When: September 9, 3:50 PM PST to 4:30 PM PST
Where: C Riverside forecast zone
Injuries: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe thunderstorm moving through the eastern part of Riverside County, generated a gust front that moved through southeastern portions of the Coachella Valley. Winds gusting to at least 35 mph picked up considerable amounts of dust and sand, reducing visibility to near zero for a short time. At the same time 8 vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction accident on Highway 86 in Mecca. Four people were injured seriously and required hospitalization.

What these are

Dust Storm: Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in California in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in California, September 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5666843.