Weather Service Says More Blowing Dust To Hit Columbia Basin

It looks like parts of Eastern Washington may be in for another round of blowing dust.

The National Weather Service Office in Spokane has issued a Risk Outlook for blowing dust affecting the Waterville Plateau and Columbia Basin tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 4).

Meteorologist Daniel Butler says the blowing dust will be created by a swift-moving cold front that will produce wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph between late morning and early evening.

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"These winds can kick up dust fairly easily. When that happens, visibilities can drop between a mile and one-quarter of a mile."

Reduced visibilities create a hazard for drivers, and Grant County Sheriff's Office spokesperson, Kyle Foreman, says there are several things to remember when driving in blowing dust.

"If you must go out on the roadway, turn your headlights on and keep your head on a swivel. Pay attention, don't get distracted, and make sure that you leave a good following distance behind the vehicle in front of you so if they come to an abrupt stop, you don't rear-end them."

Foreman says the best thing to do when there's blowing dust is to stay off the roadway altogether, but if you must drive and get into an area of zero visibility, pull as far off the road as possible and turn your headlights off and your hazard lights on. You can also sound the horn occasionally to alert other drivers to your presence.

The latest round of blowing dust follows two in Eastern Washington over the past week, including one that created a massive wall of fast-moving dust in the Palouse last Friday (Sept. 26), and another that contributed to a six-vehicle accident on State Route 17 near Moses Lake on Sunday (Sept.29).

The Weather Service expects the cold front that will create the elevated wind speeds to be moved out of the region by late tomorrow.