Blowing Dust Alert: Reduced Visibility Expected in Columbia Plateau
A Special Weather Statement has been issued for the Columbia Plateau, warning of reduced visibility due to blowing dust and advising drivers to pull over safely if encountering these conditions.
Residents in the Eastern Columbia River Gorge and Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington, including the Foothills of the Blue Mountains, Kittitas Valley, Yakima Valley, Simcoe Highlands, and North Central Oregon, should be prepared for sudden changes in visibility this afternoon due to blowing dust.
A Special Weather Statement issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) Pendleton, OR, at 2:03 PM PDT today, October 9, warns of patchy to localized areas of blowing dust that may reduce visibility across the Columbia Plateau. This statement is effective immediately and expires at 5:00 PM PDT today, October 9, 2026.
The NWS advises that if you encounter blowing dust or blowing sand on the roadway or see it approaching, you should pull off the road as far as possible and put your vehicle in park. Turn your lights completely off and keep your foot off the brake pedal. Remember the critical safety message: 'Pull Aside, Stay Alive'.
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