Background: Sand and dust storms (SDSs) cause considerable health risks worldwide. China is a country seriously affected by SDSs, however only few studies researched the risk of SDS in China. The insufficient evidence on SDS hampers effective measures to mitigate its harm.Objective: To reveal the mortality risks associated with SDSs in Jinan City and identify sensitive populations vulnerable to these events.Methods: For this time-stratified case-crossover study, we collected daily data on all-cause, circulatory, and respiratory deaths, as well as air pollution and meteorological information from Jinan City in China between January 1, 2013, and November 30, 2022. We initially utilized a time-stratified case-crossover design and logistic regression model to examine the short-term relationship between SDSs and mortality risks, adjusting for specific variables such as mean temperature, humidity, wind speeds, and holidays. Subsequently, we conducted stratified analyses by age, gender, and season.Results: A total of 53 SDSs were observed, lasting for 88 days during the study period, which accounted for 2% of the study period. The excess mortality risks associated with SDSs were 13% (95% CI: 4–22%), 4% (95% CI: 1–8%), and 3% (95% CI: 1–6%) for respiratory, circulatory, and all-cause death, respectively. Females and people over 65 years of age are vulnerable to respiratory deaths caused by SDSs.Conclusion: Short-term exposure to SDSs caused the significantly elevated risks of respiratory, circulatory and all-cause death. Females and individuals over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable to the effects of SDSs.