Standard insurance policies typically cover wind damage to homes and businesses, but not to vehicles unless the auto policy-holder has optional comprehensive coverage, according to the Northwest Insurance Council.
Winds have been gusting to 59 mph at Spokane International Airport and 60 mph in Coeur d’Alene, causing power outages, downing trees and spreading debris.
High wind is expected in Eastern Washington and parts of North Idaho today. Winds between 35 and 40 miles per hour, with gusts more than 50 mph, are predicted after 5 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
April is such a volatile month in terms of weather. Looking at solely Spokane numbers, the difference between the coldest high temperature (40 degrees) and the warmest high temperature (75 degrees) was 35 degrees.
After two winters of record and near-record snows, the Inland Northwest flipped to the opposite extreme during the winter of 2009-’10 with near-record low snowfall. Spokane International Airport has received 14.4 inches of snow. The normal is just over 46 inches. In Coeur d’Alene, only 18.2 inches of snow has been measured compared to a normal of nearly 67 inches.
Highs today are going to exceed earlier forecasts as warm weather intensifies into the upper 70s across the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene areas this afternoon, forecasters said.
Michelle Schlienger and Samantha Lawless found a picnic table overlooking the Upper Spokane Falls on Monday as their place to take in the summer-like warmth that bathed the Inland Northwest.
