Dust Storm in Washington

Events

96

Deaths

2

Injuries

78

Damage

$742,000

• Dust Storm and High Wind in Washington, November 17, 20154 deaths · 71 kt wind · 29 eventsAn intense surface low pressure system moved from west to east along the Southern British Columbia border and dragged a cold front through as well.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Washington, September 7 to 28, 20201 death · 2 injured · $15 million · 18 eventsVery dry and critical fire conditions over Eastern Washington during July and August produced dry fuels across the region. These fuels, with an incoming cold front's strong winds, created an outbreak of wildfires, blowing smoke, and dust late September 6th - 7th.
• Dust Storm and Damaging Winds in Washington, August 25, 20131 death · 1 injured · $405,000 · 56 kt wind · 9 eventsA stationary trough of low pressure along the Pacific Northwest Coastline resulted in moist, unstable, southwesterly flow over the Inland Northwest. A shortwave embedded within the flow, triggered thunderstorms during the afternoon hours of August 25, 2013.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Washington, October 13, 20201 death · 1 injured · $120,000 · 52 kt wind · 5 eventsA cold front passed across eastern Washington on October 13th bringing strong, damaging winds. With the afternoon sun, the stronger winds aloft mixed down and brought strengthening gusts across central and southeastern Washington.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Washington, May 3, 20101 death · $12,000 · 52 kt wind · 11 eventsA tight pressure gradient and a strong jet stream moved over the area behind a cold front resulting in a windstorm over Central and Eastern Washington. This resulted in extensive damage, as well as a dust storm from the Moses Lake area eastward into the Upper Columbia Basin.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Washington, March 28, 202110 injured · $410,000 · 52 kt wind · 6 eventsA passing cold front produced strong winds in eastern Washington on March 28th. Winds reached gusts of 50-65 mph. These powerful winds produced blowing dust in the dry Columbia Basin and damage due to downed trees in much of far eastern Washington.
• Dust Storm in Washington, October 28, 200320 injured · 1 eventA dust storm six miles ESE of Prosser lead to a 30 car pileup involving cars, trucks, and semi-trailers. The incident occurred on highway 221, along a 1.5 mile stretch of the Horse Heaven Hills near the intersection of State Route 221 and Davis Road.
• Dust Storm in Washington, October 10, 20151 death · 1 eventA strong cold front pushed across the interior pacific northwest that afternoon. Strong winds picked up dust and caused a dust storm across the Lower Columbia Basin of Washington. A 13 car pile up with one person injured and one fatality resulted from the dust storm.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Washington, September 25, 19994 injured · $160,000 · 10 eventsA wildfire engulfed 3000 acres before being contained on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The strong winds during the day helped spread the fire.
• Debris Flows and Dust Storm in Washington, August 12, 2014$449,000 · 52 kt wind · 12 eventsA ridge of high pressure over the region for the last few weeks was nudged east by a potent upper-level trough coming off the Eastern Pacific. The trough took on a strong negative tilt and passed through during peak heating.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Washington, May 3, 2010$570,000 · 67 kt wind · 6 eventsA tight pressure gradient combined with a cold frontal passage to produce widespread high winds and damage. Blowing dust reduced visibility to near zero in portions of the Yakima Valley and Lower Columbia Basin and forced road closures.
• Dust Storm in Washington, October 4, 200911 injured · 2 eventsNortheast winds of 20 to 30 mph resulted in a severe dust storm with visibilities near zero over southeast Grant County and western Adams County, including the cities of Othello, Warden, and Odessa.
• Dust Storm and Strong Wind in Washington, April 11, 20209 injured · $3,000 · 4 eventsThe arrival of a strong cold front brought an abrupt change in weather with strong north winds gusting up to 50 mph on April 11th. The winds channeled down the Okanogan Valley into the Columbia Basin creating areas of blowing dust and localized visibility reductions.
• Dust Storm in Washington, August 30, 20149 injured · 1 eventThunderstorms that developed just west of the Oregon Cascades produced an outflow boundary with moderate wind speeds. Winds were strong enough to produce blowing dust across the I-82 corridor, reducing visibility to less than 100 ft.
• Dust Storm in Washington, March 11, 20122 injured · $100,000 · 1 eventA major dust storm south of Toppenish on U.S. Highway 97 led to a 20-car pileup, two minor injuries and the closure of a section of the road Sunday afternoon. Nearby weather stations showed winds gusting to between 35 and 45 mph.
• Dust Storm and Strong Wind in Washington, July 12, 20101 injured · $115,000 · 5 eventsWindy conditions behind a dry cold front passage resulted in a dust storm over portions of the Moses Lake area and Upper Columbia Basin. On Highway 261 ten miles south of Ritzville, the dust storm contributed to a two car accident closing the highway.
• Dust Storm in Washington, May 27, 2021$170,000 · 2 eventsA 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.
• Dust Storm in Washington, October 3 to 4, 20097 injured · 1 eventA sudden increase in winds with gusts to near 40 mph led to a dust storm on Interstate 90 at milepost 196. Low visibilities in the dust storm contributed to a multi vehicle accident involving five vehicles that were all totaled, along with seven indirect injuries.
• Dust Storm in Washington, February 23, 20205 injured · 1 eventStrong winds associated with a cold front caused very low visibility in blowing dust along I-82 south of Kennewick. This resulted in numerous accidents and a closure of the interstate.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Washington, April 18 to 19, 2021$45,000 · 60 kt wind · 5 eventsA robust cold front, accompanied by strong north to northeast winds, passed through eastern Washington on April 18th. Evening winds reached gusts in the range of 40-60 mph.
• Dust Storm in Washington, March 15, 2009$30,000 · 1 eventDry 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.
• Dust Storm and Damaging Winds in Washington, September 15, 20131 injured · 52 kt wind · 15 eventsA negatively tilted shortwave trough of lower pressure interacted with some surface based instability of near 1,000 J/KG in northern Oregon to spawn a squall line that traversed northward across eastern Washington.
• Dust Storm in Washington, September 8, 2022$20,000 · 1 eventGusty North winds behind a cold front funneled down the Okanogan Valley and over the western portion of the Columbia Basin. Speeds reached into the 35 to 40 MPH. A long dry spell allowed the winds to pick up loose soil and dust from a recently worked farmland.
• Dust Storm and Strong Wind in Washington, April 16, 2025$17,000 · 3 eventsThe dry cold front moved through the region during the afternoon and early evening hours. Wind speeds were in the teens with gusts up to 30 MPH being reported. The Basin was experiencing a prolonged period of lack of precip.
• Blizzard and Dust Storm in Washington, March 7 to 13, 2026$6,000 · 50 kt wind · 12 eventsA strong upper level jet was positioned over the Pacific Northwest from March 8 through 13. As it mixed down to the lower levels, it brought periods of high winds sustained in the 30 to 40 mph range and gusts up to 70 mph for portions of the region.

Dust Storm everywhereEvery kind of event in Washington

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.