PENDLETON, Ore.-An early spring storm could bring potentially damaging high winds, thunderstorms and hail to the region Wednesday night.
While temperatures should be very spring-like today, reaching into the 70’s, changes are on the way as a strong low-pressure system off the coast brings warm, wet air into the region.
Central and Northeastern Oregon are likely to see high winds and rain, with thunderstorms and hail possible, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Pendleton.
“The environment is conducive to severe thunderstorms, with a smaller tornado threat west of the Cascades of probably less than two percent,” the NWS said in a statement.
While tornadoes are unlikely, it will get windy in the region starting around five p.m., with gusts up to 58 miles per hour expected and hail up to an inch in diameter possible.
High winds are nothing new across Eastern Oregon and are usually the result of high-pressure west of the Cascades and a westerly flow through the Gorge that typically enhances wind speeds in the summer months, according to the NWS.
The Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IES) at Iowa State University tracks wind roses, frequencies of wind direction and speed that indicate the dominant wind direction and strongest wind speeds, at local and regional airports across the country.
According to data from the IES, the windiest months in Hermiston are indeed the summer months, with May seeing an average speed of 8.9 mph, June clocking in at 9.4 mph, and July seeing speeds of 8.5 mph. A full, yearly breakdown of average wind speeds in Hermiston is available online.
According to the NWS, the greatest risk for severe storms on March 26 is along the east slopes of the Cascades and the foothills of the Blue Mountains between the hours of 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.
