Dry soils and winds gusting to around 50 mph produced zero visibility in blowing dust in West Richland. Auto accidents from the blowing dust were reported along Highway 240 and highway 24.
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.
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 episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.
Dry soils and winds gusting to around 50 mph produced zero visibility in blowing dust in West Richland. Auto accidents from the blowing dust were reported along Highway 240 and highway 24.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 15, 9:50 AM PST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR 1050 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION .SHORT TERM...TODAY...MAIN CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM ENTERING THE FORECAST AREA. SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN AND THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND WILL CONTINUE VERY TIGHT THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH ONGOING 6-HOUR PRESSURE RISES ON THE ORDER OF 10 MB FROM 2 PM ONWARDS UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ACROSS THESE AREAS BEGINNING AROUND NOON AND BECOME WINDY TO VERY WINDY...ESPECIALLY ALONG RIDGE TOPS...BY AROUND 2 PM AND PERSIST THROUGH THIS EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING OVERNIGHT. WILL CLOSELY MONITOR WINDS IN THIS AREA AND MAY NEED TO ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY LATER TODAY. THE HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING IN CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OREGON AND THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES...INCLUDING THE KLICKITAT VALLEY. POLAN && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT ALL TAF SITES WITH OCCASIONAL MVFR AT KDLS AND IFR AT KYKM IN RAIN SHOWERS. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...BECOMING AT LEAST 15-20 KTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR HAS BEEN REPORTED AT KRDM AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. 82 && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 240 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009/ SHORT TERM...MAIN CONCERN TODAY IS THE STRONG 130-150 KT UPPER JET STREAM THAT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE GFS IS FASTER IN BRINGING THE JET INTO WESTERN OREGON THIS MORNING AND HAS THE STRONGEST WIND CORE REACHING THE CWA BY 12Z...WHILE THE NAM HOLDS IT OFF UNTIL ALMOST 21Z. HOWEVER BOTH MODELS ARE ABOUT THE SAME WITH WIND SPEEDS. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL STILL BE FAIRLY STABLE TODAY AND THE UPPER JET WILL CAUSE A MOUNTAIN WAVE TO FORM ON THE LEE OF THE CASCADE EAST SLOPES. AT LEAST 40-50 KT WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADE EAST SLOPES AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADE EAST SLOPES. THIS CONVERTS TO ABOUT 46 TO 58 MPH WHICH IS ENOUGH FOR A MINIMAL HIGH WIND WARNING. AS SUCH WILL UPGRADE THE WATCHES TO WARNINGS AND WILL DELAY THE ONSET UNTIL 18Z WHICH IS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE GFS AND NAM12 MODELS. IT WILL ALSO BECOME WINDY IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CWA INCLUDING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS WESTWARD AND NORTHWARD THROUGH THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN AND THE CENTRAL OREGON PLATEAUS. AREAS THAT WILL BE SPARED THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE THE YAKIMA AND KITTITAS VALLEYS AND THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE TOO STABLE TO ALLOW THE STRONG WINDS TO MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE LADD/PYLES CANYONS AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL WA CASCADE PASSES NORTH OF THE WARNING AREA WHERE THE ELEVATIONS WILL BE HIGH ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE THE JET STREAM WINDS MORE. HOWEVER WINDS IN THESE PASSES WILL LIKELY NOT REACH WARNING CRITERIA EITHER. WIND ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED IN OTHER AREAS THAN THE WARNING AREAS TODAY AND THE DAY SHIFT WILL NEED TO MONITOR IT CLOSELY...HOWEVER AT THIS TIME THE WINDS IN THESE OTHER AREAS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH ADVISORY SPEEDS. THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH AFTER 03Z THIS EVENING AS THE UPPER JET LOOSES STRENGTH AND BEGINS TO LIFT NORTHWARD. ANOTHER CONCERN FOR TODAY IS SOME LIGHT SNOWFALL IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE ABOUT 4000 FT MSL. HOWEVER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHT ENOUGH TO KEEP ANY ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN ADVISORY AMOUNTS. WILL MENTION IT NEVERTHELESS IN THE HWO WHERE SEVERAL INCHES MAY ACCUMULATE. A FAST WESTERLY FLOW PATTERN ALOFT WILL KEEP ONE WEATHER DISTURBANCE AFTER ANOTHER MOVING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREAS THROUGH THE REST OF THE SHORT TERM PERIOD INTO THE EXTENDED. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER A BIT TONIGHT AND MONDAY ALLOWING SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS. 88 LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO THE OVERALL PATTERN THROUGH THE PERIOD. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OFFSHORE WITH MOIST WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW AND PERIODIC UPPER LEVEL IMPULSES TO CONTINUE UNSETTLED PATTERN WITH RAIN AND SNOW MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. SNOW LEVEL 4500-5500 AND THEN LOWERING DURING THE WEEKEND AS UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES INLAND. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 51 33 50 32 / 60 40 30 30 ALW 52 34 51 33 / 60 40 30 30 PSC 52 35 51 34 / 50 20 30 20 YKM 50 31 49 30 / 30 20 20 20 HRI 53 33 52 32 / 50 20 30 20 ELN 43 25 42 24 / 30 20 20 20 RDM 46 29 44 28 / 60 30 30 30 LGD 46 34 44 33 / 50 30 40 30 GCD 48 32 46 31 / 50 30 40 30 DLS 47 33 46 32 / 60 20 20 20 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR ORZ042-043. WA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR WAZ502. && TI:YGG FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON 99/82
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1130 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009
UPDATED FOR WIND ADVISORY
ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-161415-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-
CENTRAL OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-
WALLOWA COUNTY-FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON-KITTITAS VALLEY-
YAKIMA VALLEY-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
1130 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
SNOW
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST
BLUE MOUNTAINS, WALLOWA COUNTY, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY
HIGHLANDS
STRONG WIND
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
OF WASHINGTON, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES
A STRONG JET STREAM MOVING OVER THE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE
SURFACE WINDS TO INCREASE. WIND SPEEDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
60 MPH ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADE EAST
SLOPES AND THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADE EAST SLOPES
FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. AS SUCH...A HIGH
WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS. WINDS HAVE ALSO INCREASED
ALONG THE BLUE MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS AND IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN.
WIND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED. PLEASE REFER TO NWS PRODUCT ID
PDXNPWPDT FOR MORE DETAILS.
SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST OREGON AND
EXTREME SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON TODAY. SNOW LEVELS OF BETWEEN 2000-3000
FEET MSL WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 3500-4500 FEET THIS AFTERNOON.
SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED ABOVE THESE LEVELS.
THOUGH SNOW AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH ADVISORY OR WARNING
AMOUNTS...PERSONS TRAVELING THROUGH THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT OF
WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.
A FAST MOVING WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING NUMEROUS WEAK
WEATHER SYSTEMS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEK WITH PERIODS OF
LOWER ELEVATION RAIN AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN NEAR THE SEASONAL NORMALS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.
WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PDT/CURRENTHAZARDS/HWO.HTML
ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE H IN
CURRENTHAZARDS.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 2009
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: 161244.