The National Weather Service sent out an advisory Monday warning of high winds in the Moscow area beginning at 4 p.m. The high wind warning will remain in effect until 10 p.m.
The high wind warning is expected to affect the Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties as well as the Coeur d’Alene, Palouse-Central and Palouse-Spokane areas. Peak gusts are estimated to reach 60 mph and sustained southwest winds of up to 35 mph.
Meteorologist Joey Clevenger of the NWS’s Spokane office said that the Moscow area is forecasted to see gusts of around 50 mph and sustained wind speeds around 30 mph, with a “bulk of the stronger winds in the Moscow to be within (the) 4 p.m.-6 p.m. timeframe.”
Clevenger recommended that loose objects such as garbage cans be accounted for to ensure that they do not pose any risks. At the projected wind speeds, falling tree branches can result in isolated power outages depending on where they fall. Whole trees falling over is also a risk.
While Clevenger said that these effects were not definitive, they do makeup what the NWS sees in a “typical damage report.”
An email from University of Idaho’s Housing & Residence Life warns students to shut windows tonight as a safety precaution.
“When the wind catches and sways the windows, it can damage the window and be a danger to people below. Please help us keep everyone safe,” the email states.
Royce McCandless can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @roycemccandless