That was a fast-moving robust burst of wind Saturday night that caused all kinds of havoc with power outages and tall trees knocked down. In all my years of watching weather come and go, I believe that was the shortest windstorm ever.
Probably good that it was; can you imagine hours and hours of 50 mph winds? The strongest winds locally I heard of were 54 mph on the Interstate Bridge. The official wind gust for Vancouver was 40 mph but that is measured at low lying Pearson Airfield and the higher up in elevation you went the winds were stronger.
Today and into Wednesday we will have more gusty winds this time from the east rather than the south and southwest. A huge storm well off the coast will draw easterly winds through the gorge and outward toward the coast. You can expect winds between 25-35 with gusts over 40 mph and over 50 mph out near Camas, Washougal and eastward.
I wish I could control the winds and bring you calm conditions but the weather will move on as she pleases. Jimmy Dean once said this, “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”
