NWS issues hazardous weather advisories in WA

Editor's note: this article was updated Thursday, March 12 to reflect wind storm-related incidents reported in Grant County.

SPOKANE — It looks like stormy weather across Washington state.

 The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather advisory for the Columbia Basin eastward to Idaho with damaging high winds forecast this afternoon and continuing to midday on Thursday.

Southwest winds of 30 to 45 mph are predicted with gusts up to 65 mph in some areas. The strongest winds are expected to occur between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday.

Shortly after 5 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 11), wind speeds of 30 mph and gusts to 37 mph were recorded at the Ephrata Airport. Locally, there was also a 50% chance of some rain or snow continuing into Thursday, but little or no accumulation was expected.

Officials advised the public to watch out for falling debris, including tree limbs, and remain in lower levels of homes while avoiding windows. Those who must drive should use caution.

Among the wind storm’s local impacts, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office was notified around 8 p.m. Wednesday that a semi truck had flipped over and was partially blocking the roadway south of Desert Aire. No injuries were reported. About an hour later, authorities were told that an overhead cable or wire was hanging down on Road O-SW between Roads 28- and 29-SW.

Shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday, a downed tree was fully blocking the roadway near the intersection of Martin Road and Road E-NW, between Ephrata and Quincy. At 9:07 a.m., a caller said a power line was down and a tree was on fire near a residence west of George at the intersection of Beverly-Burke Road and Road 1-SW. Around 10 a.m., a Grant PUD crew was working to restore electrical service following a power outage north of Desert Aire. And the sheriff’s office issued a notice around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, saying that Adams Road was closed between Interstate 90 and Frenchman Hills Road due to blowing dust that obscured visibility.

Elsewhere, the Weather Service was forecasting strong winds and possible blizzard conditions overnight in Washington’s Cascade mountains. Heavy snowfall is expected to begin accumulating on Thursday.

Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 and Stevens Pass on US 2 could see several inches of new snow overnight. Heavy snowfall could continue at times into Friday.