NWS: It’s been a windy winter
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – A Facebook follower asked us if it was windier than normal this winter, or if it was just her. We passed that question along to the National Weather Service, where Science and Operations Officer Ed Townsend did some research. Meteorologist Camden Plunkett said that Townsend’s figures showed it wasn’t “just her.”
Plunkett said Townsend compared the number of high wind warnings and advisories for the foothills of the northern Blue Mountains, which includes Pendleton and surrounding issues for 2023.
“We’ve issued six warnings and that’s the most since 2010,” Plunkett said. “We’ve issued 13 advisories, which is right at normal for an entire year.”
Plunkett also said the average sustained wind speed from 1991-2020 is 7.4 miles per hour at Pendleton. The Pendleton airport weather station shows a sustained wind speed this season of 8.5 miles per hour. The average number of days with wind gusts over 40 miles per hour is about eight. The most days during the December to February period with gusts that high was 16, which has occurred three times. This year ties for fourth with 2020-21 at 15 days.
Meteorological winter is December through February.
