Desert Aire, Washington
Desert Aire is a community of 2,788 people in Grant County, Washington.
Why visit Desert Aire
Townapedia lists 4 parks and trails, 3 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Priest Rapids Recreation Area.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Desert Aire
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Desert Aire
Desert Aire is a census-designated place (CDP) in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,288 at the 2020 census up from 1,626 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Desert Aire, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes3
River View Cafe
Restaurant · Ice Cream, Burger, American, Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
Th-Su 08:00-15:30
Where to stay3
Desert Aire Motel
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
103 Thunderbird Way Southwest, Mattawa
Churches and places of worship1
Riverside Community Church
Church · 1.3 mi
5 Desert Aire Drive Southwest, Desert Aire
History
In the late 1960s, a group of investors led by Harry Davidson, of Harry Davidson, Inc., bought 3,200 acres (13 km2) of land along the Columbia River near the Priest Rapids Dam for some $1,000,000. Davidson cut in a runway and flew investors into his airport community in a Douglas DC-3. They developed a planned community of some 1,600 homes centered on the airport, a golf course and marina, which opened beginning in 1970. In 1994 the Grant County Airport District #1 was formed and now maintains the regional public-use airport in the community.
From the History section of Desert Aire, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Map of Desert Aire
21 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 30°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 32°F | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 38°F | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 45°F | 0.6 in |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 0.6 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 0.5 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 66°F | 0.2 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 66°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 46°F | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 36°F | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 30°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Priest Rapids Dam (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Grant County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-07-11: Baird Springs Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-08-12: Grass Valley Fire (Fire)
- 2018-07-20: Buckshot Fire (Fire)
- 2017-04-21: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Yakima Air Terminal (YKM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Terrace Heights 25 mi west, about 40 min by car
- Sunnyside 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- Yakima 30 mi west, about 49 min by car
- Grandview 31 mi south, about 50 min by car
- Ellensburg 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
- West Richland 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- Benton City 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- Richland 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Moses Lake 43 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Pasco 48 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Signal soldiers keep Army networks safe 131011-A-ET795-454, Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough, Public domain
- ISS006-E-34130 - View of Washington, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-2829 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-2831 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS007-E-12727 - View of Washington, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS044-E-54418 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-2830 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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