High winds forecast for Columbia Basin

MOSES LAKE — Rachel Fewkes, meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Spokane, said that while the Columbia Basin is not forecast to get the heavy snow anticipated for the Cascades, it’s forecast to be tree-blowing-down windy. 

“Winds are going to be the big deal for this event,” Fewkes said. “This is significant – I want to make sure and emphasize that.” 

Despite warm weather at the end of February and into early March, windy and chilly conditions are expected over the next few days. Peak winds in Moses Lake are forecast to be about 40 to 45 miles per hour, and 45 to 50 miles per hour in Ritzville. 

High wind watches will be going into effect beginning Wednesday evening. The culprit for the wild weather is a low pressure system that isn’t behaving as low pressure systems normally do, she said. 

“It is unusual for us to see a low pressure system deepen as it moves inland, but that is what is happening here. Typically, they hit land and they sort of weaken, but that will not be the case. This will strengthen as it moves in over southern Alberta. This is typically a very favorable pattern for high wind events in our region,” she said. 

Winds are forecast to start picking up Wednesday afternoon into the evening, with peak gusts overnight. While winds should start dying down Thursday, they’ll stay strong through early Thursday afternoon, she said. 

“Just a couple days ago, we saw a wind event that was not quite as intense as this one is expected to be,” she said. “It kicked up some dust (and) caused some blowing dust along sections of I-90. It reduced visibility to near zero in some spots.” 

The incoming windstorm is forecast to be stronger, Fewkes said, with blowing dust anticipated, especially in Grant and Adams counties.  

Winds will be dying down, but rain is likely Friday, with a chance of snow Friday night.  

Snow is not expected in the Columbia Basin, but there should be plenty in the mountains. Snowfall at Stevens Pass could be up to 50 inches over the course of the storm, she said, with blizzard conditions forecast for Wednesday night.  

Substantial snow also is forecast for Snoqualmie Pass, with at least six inches between Wednesday and Saturday. 

“Not an ideal weekend for traveling over the mountain passes,” she said.