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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Authorities call for workers, school kids to go home early to avoid high wind risks

Coeur d’Alene resident Jeff Yates takes advantage of high winds and goes kiteboarding on Lake Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)
This story has been updated and moved on the website. The new story can be found here: Intense winds hit Inland Northwest High winds are likely to cause widespread power outages and other damage on Tuesday evening as a powerful Pacific storm moves over the Inland Northwest. Authorities are calling on employers and school officials to let employees and students go home early for safety reasons. The National Weather Service has posted high wind warnings for the region with gusts of 70 mph possible in lower elevations and stronger gusts in the mountains. The area from Ritzville to Spokane appears to be in the bullseye of the wind storm with gusts up to 68 mph possible. Coeur d’Alene is forecasted to see 55 mph gusts. Spokane International Airport measured a 61 mph wind gust after 2 p.m. Forecasters said a 77 mph gust was reported at Spangle. The weather service office on Rambo Road had a 68 mph gust with the strongest part of the storm yet to arrive. In one dramatic event this afternoon, a tree fell on 17th Avenue just outside of Franklin Elementary School a short time before classes ended. Interstate 90 was closed from George to Vantage due to high winds, according to the Washington State Patrol. The high winds sent a cloud of dust into the city late this afternoon. South to southwest winds Tuesday morning were expected to turn and come from the west to northwest as the cold front crosses the region. Gusts to 45 mph in Spokane are likely to increase to 55 to 60 mph or more between 4 and 6 p.m. The strongest winds will be around 7 p.m., forecasters said. “Very strong winds with speeds of historic levels are forecast for this afternoon and evening,” according to a forecast discussion on the website of the weather service in Spokane. Whitworth University had a pine tree fall Tuesday morning. No injuries occurred, but classes and activities closed early and non-essential employees were sent home, said Nancy Hines, communications director at Whitworth. Eastern Washington University, WSU Spokane and Spokane community colleges cancelled classes Tuesday afternoon. Gonzaga University closed classes and sent home employees. The on-campus food service was kept open. Students were asked to stay in their rooms otherwise. Spokane and Spokane County public libraries closed early. Spokane County offices, including courts, were scheduled to close at 3 p.m. because of the weather, said Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter, spokeswoman for the county. Kim Papich, spokeswoman for the Spokane Regional Health District, said authorities are implementing federal emergency response standards. Spokane Public Schools cancelled all after-school activities except Express care, and principals have discretion to send children home or close after-school activities, said district spokesman Kevin Morrison. Mead schools also closed after-school activities. West Valley schools are closing early, and they have asked parents to pick up children early. Cheney, Nine Mile Falls and East Valley schools cancelled after-school activities. Saint George’s School and Gonzaga Prep took the same action. In Central Valley, parents are asked to pick up kids who normally walk to school. Classes will get out at the normal time, but after-school activities were cancelled. STCU said it would close its credit union branches at 3 p.m. The fact that the highest winds will arrive during the evening commute adds to the potential risks. Emergency response agencies are concerned about downed trees and breaking branches taking down live power lines. High profile vehicles and trailers may be susceptible to being blown over, forecasters said. Blowing objects might also create hazards in roadways. Vehicles could be crushed by falling trees. Authorities met Tuesday morning to talk about contingency plans for responding to the storm. Papich said they are making plans for dispatching crews to clear downed trees. Avista power crews were busy at noon Tuesday with 50 or more power outages affecting about 1,000 customers during the morning, but that increased to about 225 outages affecting more than 8,000 customers. Winds should ease after 9 p.m. following passage of the cold front that will drive the high winds. The downslope terrain on the east side of the Cascades will help accelerate the winds by creating a kind of vacuum and allowing air pressure at the surface to fall markedly. The storm arrived in the offshore waters and coastal areas on Monday when satellite images showed a convergence of warm and cold fronts around a pair of deep low pressure centers. That system has been moving across the Pacific Northwest today. Andy Brown, the weather warning coordinator for the weather service in Spokane, said meteorologists have a high degree of confidence in the current forecast. “This is a very strong wind event,” he said. It may rank as one of the top five windstorms on record in Spokane. Papich advised residents to have flashlights with good batteries in case the power goes out. She said authorities are asking people to stay indoors during the height of the storm. The overnight low in the early hours of Wednesday is forecast to reach 33 degrees. Even without power, most residents should be able to pass the night without leaving. Warming centers are being activated in Spokane for emergency shelter. Spokane city officials said street crews would deploy generators to busy intersections in the event power outages cut traffic signals. Drivers must treat an intersection with a disabled light the same as they would a four-way stop. Authorities are asking family and friends to check on elderly and disabled persons after the high winds subside. Use of portable heaters that use propane gas or other fuel is discouraged because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. An autumn storm in October 1950 brought a peak wind of 65 mph. Snow was reported across the region earlier on Tuesday morning. Deer Lake in Stevens County had between 3 and 4 inches.