Dust storm causes ‘very unhealthy’ air quality in Spokane

A dust storm that blew into Spokane from the Columbia Basin on Tuesday caused “very unhealthy” air quality in Spokane. Winds are expected to die Tuesday night, according to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency.

The wind was blowing from the southwest at 22 mph and gusting to 37 mph at Spokane International Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Spokane.

Visibility at the airport was down to 2 miles, said Steven Van Horn, meteorologist at NWS Spokane.

The dust storm coincided with a brush fire in Cheney that burned about 30 acres, but the poor air quality was not attributed to the smoke, Van Horn said.