High Wind — Lower Garfield & Asotin, Washington

2003-11-19 · Lower Garfield & Asotin, Washington

Wider weather episode

On the morning of November 19th a strong low level jet stream was detected by weather balloons over the eastern Columbia Basin of Washington. As dawn broke these strong winds aloft began to mix down to the surface creating widespread strong wind gusts over much of eastern Washington. At Pomeroy a wind gust was measured at 65 mph. Over the Palouse region a wind gust blew the roof off of a barn near Colfax. In the Northeastern Mountains near Newport a tree was blown onto a house. The heaviest damage occurred in the Spokane area where numerous trees were toppled onto houses and power lines. Up to 16,000 people were without power in Spokane's South Hill neighborhood. Fairchild Air Force base recorded a wind gust of 68 mph which ripped the roof off of a recreation center. At Geiger Airport a wind gust of 63 mph was recorded and at the Spokane National Weather Service office the wind gusted to 61 mph. By 9:00 am a cold front swept the winds out of the region.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5335180. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.