High Wind Warnings in 8 States as Powerful Windstorm Blasts Northwest (FORECAST)

Linda Lam
Published: November 17,2015
High wind warnings are in effect for parts of eight states from the Pacific Northwest to the Dakotas, and wind gusts topping 110 mph have already been reported in parts of Washington as a potent low-pressure system whips up a huge zone of wind over the northwest quadrant of the contiguous U.S.
(MORE: High Winds Turn Deadly in Washington)
On top of the winds, the region has also dealt with heavy rainfall in recent days, and additional rainfall will contribute to ongoing flooding and may trigger landslides. Heavy snow remains a concern for higher elevations.

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

Deadly High Wind Event Underway

As an intensifying area of low pressure swings east across southwest Canada, just north of the U.S. border, it will be perfectly positioned to whip up a vast expanse of high winds. Those winds have already begun from the Washington and parts of Oregon east into western Montana.

Wind Advisories, Watches and Warnings

High wind warnings have been issued for much of Washington, northern Idaho, Montana and the western Dakotas, as well as favored terrain in coastal and interior Oregon, parts of Wyoming, and a small part of northeast California.
The winds have already caused considerable damage and major power outages in Washington state. Falling trees will continue to be a danger across western Washington, including the greater Seattle area, due to high winds and saturated soil.

Current Winds and Gusts

East of the Cascades, the high winds have generated areas of widespread blowing dust, forcing major road closures and damaging roofs in parts of central and eastern Washington.
Some of the more impressive wind gust reports as of Tuesday afternoon in the Pacific Northwest include:

• 119 mph at White Pass (elevation 5,970 feet) in the Cascades west of Yakima, Washington.
• 116 mph at Mission Ridge Summit (elevation 6,370 feet) in the Cascades near Wenatchee, Washington.
• 115 mph at Rattlesnake Mountain (elevation 3,560 feet) in south-central Washington; sustained winds hit 96 mph around sunset.
• 107 mph at Crystal Summit, just northeast of Mount Rainier in Washington.
• 101 mph on Schweitzer Mountain in far northern Idaho.
• 98 mph at Sedge Ridge in western Yakima County, Washington.
• 90 mph at Three Corner Rock in south-central Washington.
• 86 mph on Naselle Ridge in southwest Washington.
• 86 mph on Mount Hebo (elevation 3,160 feet) in the Coast Range of western Oregon.
• 76 mph at Kahlotus, a small farming town in southeast Washington (elevation 1,230 feet)

In eastern Washington, Spokane International Airport gusted to 71 mph shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday. The National Weather Service said that was the strongest non-thunderstorm wind gust ever recorded at that location.
High winds have also battered western Montana already, with gusts to 80 mph reported in and near Glacier National Park Tuesday.
Strong winds will continue to affect interior parts of the Northwest, including portions of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming Tuesday into Wednesday as the low pressure system slides east through Canada. Strong winds gusting to 60 mph will also push into parts of the Dakotas on Wednesday.

Flooding Underway; More Rain in Forecast

After starting out as low as 1,000 feet Monday, snow levels have now risen up to 7,000 feet in western Washington. This will allow very heavy rain to impact the Olympics and the Washington Cascades into Tuesday night. Additional rainfall amounts of 5-8 inches (locally higher) are expected in the Olympic and Cascade Mountains into early Wednesday. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for northwest Washington through late Wednesday. This additional heavy rain may raise the risk of landslides in the region and result in more river flooding.
(MAPS: Interactive Radar)

Flood Alerts

Rainfall Forecast

Nearly a Foot of Rain Reported Already

According to the National Weather Service, widespread rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches with local totals of 9 to 11 inches have already been recorded in the mountains of western Washington in the three days ending Sunday. In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, rainfall in the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia corridor has been lighter. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport saw 4.45 inches of rain Thursday through Sunday.
This rain sent some rivers into moderate and briefly major flood levels this past weekend, including the Snohomish and Snoqualmie Rivers, flooding roads and rural areas in the foothills of the Cascades east of Seattle. In addition, the rain has contributed to landslides in the region, including two on Saturday along the main railroad between Tacoma and Nisqually.
(INTERACTIVE: NWS Flood Alerts)

(MORE: Thousands Lose Power, Flooding Reported)
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