Whipping up waves: Wind storm causes some power outages, higher-than-normal temperatures

MOSES LAKE — A powerful wind storm blew across the Columbia Basin Monday afternoon as a cold front moved east across Washington state, leading to scattered power outages across Grant County.

According to Greg Koch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane, sustained winds approaching 50 mph — with some gusts from the west forecasted to hit 60 mph — were expected in the Moses Lake area Monday afternoon and evening.

“Get those garbage cans and lawn furniture secured so you don’t have anything coming through your window,” Koch said.

Grant County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kyle Foreman said the GCSO had reports of downed utility lines and a power outage in the Larson community, but no major damage.

“It’s another day in the Columbia Basin,” Foreman said of the wind.

Foreman, however, said anyone experiencing a power outage should call the Grant County Public Utility District’s emergency outage number — 800-216-5226 — and not 911.

“That’s what the PUD’s number is for,” he said.

PUD spokesperson Ryan Holterhoff said as of mid-afternoon Monday, about 800 PUD customers in and around Royal City, as well as north of George, lost power for a couple of hours as a result of wind-related power outages.

“Our crews were able to respond quickly, isolate the issues and get power restored,” Holterhoff said.

On its website, Avista — which provides electricity to customers in Adams County — reported a small outage southwest of Lind, noting crews were assessing the damage and would provide more information as soon as it was available.

According to an Avista press release issued Monday, any Avista customers who lost power should call the company’s outage hotline at 800-227-9187.

Koch said a cold front moving east from the Gulf of Alaska was responsible for the winds, and was also bringing with it “significantly lower temperatures” in the low to mid-30s.

The high in Wenatchee on Sunday was 70 degrees, a record for early November, Koch said. Temperatures in Moses Lake were in the low to mid 60s.

“That’s more typical of early October,” he said.