High Wind — Lower Garfield & Asotin, Washington

2012-02-22 · Lower Garfield & Asotin, Washington

Wider weather episode

A strong cold front moved through eastern Washington on the night of February 21st through the morning hours of February 22nd. A strong westerly jet stream combined with a deepening surface low east of the Rockies resulted in the strong and damaging wind set up across the region. A strong low level jet streak over the Palouse generated wind speed gusts of 60 plus miles per hour. Mountain wave activity down the lee side of the Cascades may have been responsible for the damaging winds over the Wenatchee and Moses Lake areas during the morning hours as well. Other reports of wind damage across the Upper Columbia Basin and Spokane area came later during the late morning and early afternoon hours with better daytime mixing.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 363960. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.