SPOKANE, Wash. — Wind damage is quite common across the U.S. and can be a result for a variety of different weather events. Hurricanes, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and derechos are all types of weather events that cause violent winds.
But for "non-of-the-above" we classify those weather events simply as "windstorms."
Windstorms are defined by a weather event that has winds strong enough to cause damage but may not necessarily be accompanied by precipitation.
In Spokane, and the Pacific Northwest as a whole, windstorm is the most common event when it comes to damage winds. Yes we can get severe storms on occasion, and tornadoes even more rarely, but broad windstorms in the fall and winter time is responsible for the most widespread wind related damages.
The strongest Pacific Northwest windstorms are areas of Low Pressure that strengthen and generally travel northeast towards the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. As the storm center strengthens, the Jet Stream associated with it must allow be producing wind speeds upwards of 170-200 mph. That wind energy that's transferred down to the surface, in part, and creates the violent winds associated with PNW windstorms.
Spokane's infamous Windstorm of 2015 is among the strongest events that hit the Pacific Northwest. Windstorms that contain wind gusts higher than 75 mph tend to only happen once every 25-50 years or so.
Weather Classroom is produced and broadcasted by KREM Meteorologist Thomas Patrick is you can watch and chat live on his Facebook page Thursdays at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.
