RITZVILLE, WA — A dust storm brought zero visibility to the Ritzville area Thursday and forced officials to shut down two major roads after multiple crashes. Interstate 90 was closed in both directions through Ritzville, and Highway 261 was also blocked near the I-90 junction.
The closures were announced by the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center and the National Weather Service in Spokane. Drivers were warned to expect significant delays as emergency crews and transportation officials responded to the dangerous conditions.
I-90 closed through Ritzville after poor visibility and crashes
According to the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center, I-90 closed around 2:46 p.m. Thursday. The shutdown affected both directions through Ritzville because of poor visibility and multiple crashes.
The closure was listed as lasting until further notice. No estimate was given for when traffic would reopen, and the poor conditions were still affecting travel in the area later in the day.
The interstate is one of the region’s most important travel corridors, so even a short closure can create major backlogs. In this case, the combination of dust and crashes made it unsafe for motorists to continue through the area.
Highway 261 shut from Harder Road to the I-90 junction
Highway 261 was also closed because of the same dust and crash conditions. The shutdown stretched from milepost 59 near Harder Road to the I-90 junction in Ritzville.
Transportation officials said that closure began around 2:06 p.m. Thursday and would remain in place until further notice. Like the interstate closure, it was tied to poor visibility and crashes on the roadway.
The restriction cut off a key local route connecting travelers to the interstate. With visibility reduced to zero, officials had little choice but to keep traffic off the road.
Weather service reports zero visibility in the Ritzville area
The National Weather Service in Spokane said the dust storm left visibility at zero in the Ritzville area. It also reported that multiple crashes were blocking the roadway.
That combination made travel especially hazardous, since drivers could not see well enough to react safely to changing road conditions or stopped vehicles. The weather service’s warning matched the transportation center’s decision to close the roads.
Dust storms in the region can move quickly and turn daylight driving into near-blind conditions. On Thursday, the impact was severe enough to affect both a major interstate and a state highway at the same time.
Blowing dust advisory expanded across the upper Columbia Basin
In response to the storm, the weather service expanded a blowing dust advisory into the upper Columbia Basin. The advisory remained in effect until 7 p.m. Thursday.
That broader advisory signaled that the hazardous conditions were not limited to Ritzville. Drivers across the region were urged to be prepared for dust, low visibility and sudden changes in road conditions.
Officials did not provide a timeline for the end of the storm or the reopening of the closed roads. For travelers in the basin, the immediate concern was simply staying clear of the affected area.
Drivers warned to expect significant delays while closures remain in place
With both routes blocked, transportation officials said drivers should expect significant delays near Ritzville. The closures were still in place until further notice, leaving traffic patterns unsettled for much of Thursday afternoon.
The situation remained developing as officials monitored road conditions and crash scenes. No injuries, vehicle counts or reopening times were given in the information released Thursday.
For now, the main message from both weather and transportation officials was to avoid the area if possible. The combination of zero visibility, multiple crashes and active road closures made the stretch around Ritzville especially dangerous.
