Residents in Oregon and western Washington will see stronger winds tonight and early Wednesday as the next weather system approaches.
“Right now, there is a low-end threat for higher wind gusts also impacting area residents across the entire Willamette Valley,” said Storm Tracker 2 Meteorologist Rhonda Shelby.
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The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has classified the majority of the Pacific Northwest as “marginal” risk for severe weather due to the expected winds.
Forecast models predict a line of powerful storms starting and moving through the region overnight.
“Sporadic lightning flashes and occasional strong to severe-caliber wind gusts may accompany the passage of this low-topped convective line, with the most intense low-level winds/convective influences expected to peak during the overnight and early morning hours Wednesday,” the Storm Prediction Center said in their afternoon outlook. “However, it remains quite uncertain if these convectively enhanced winds will be substantially stronger than the background gradient wind field.”
SPC reports that there is a 5% possibility of destructive thunderstorm winds or wind gusts of 57 mph or higher within 25 miles of the shaded area on the map below.
Even if the winds do not meet the severe category, they will be extremely powerful throughout the region tonight.
The strongest winds arrive on the Oregon Coast between 10 p.m. and midnight and in the Willamette Valley between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Trees may fall in regions where prior atmospheric rivers have saturated the soils.
“It will be mostly higher elevations, coastal cities, and residents in the Columbia Basin have the highest chance of damaging wind gusts or power outages,” according to Shelby. “This is the time of year to be storm prepared…anywhere in Oregon. On average, our neighborhood has more windstorms in the winter.”
The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a High Wind Warning for the Oregon Coast, while the Wind Advisory covers the Coast Range, Cascade foothills, and Willapa Hills. Both the advice and warning will go into effect at 4 p.m.
In addition to the wind, forecast models predict that approximately an inch of rain will fall between this evening and tomorrow at 5 p.m.
On Wednesday, we have a brief break from the rain and wind before a larger atmospheric river enters the region. The next round of rain and wind will come Thursday morning.
