KHQ Right Now - News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho | Low visibility on I-90 remains a possibility

Low visibility on I-90 remains a possibility

SPOKANE, Wash. - Following a weekend of strong winds that whipped up dust and caused poor visibility in Eastern Washington, authorities are advising that the possibility of blowing dust and reduced visibility on I-90 remains.

The conditions are not exclusive to I-90 and may extend onto the county roads in the area.

The National Weather Service says the threat of blowing dust and wind should subside Wednesday night.

The latest threat of poor visibility comes after the Washington state Department of Transportation closed a roughly 40-mile stretch of the freeway around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
     
Other roads in Grant and Adams counties also were closed Sunday afternoon.
     
The blowing dust had caused a number of multi-vehicle accidents on many local roads.
     
One accident, involving two semis and three passenger vehicles happened around 2 a.m. between Ritzville and Moses Lake, injuring seven people and killing one. The Washington State Patrol reported Thursday that a passenger in one of the cars died Wednesday.

Derek Evenhus, 29, died just after 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. There are vehicular assault charges pending against 26-year-old Ryan Letts who was driving the car.
     
Washington State Patrol Sgt. Mike Rupert said Sunday afternoon that visibility in the worst of the dust storm was about five feet and when it let up, visibility was still only about 20 feet.