60 mph gusts wreck a car, down trees and close COVID testing site in Tri-Cities
High winds knocked over a power pole, at least one tree and sent trampolines flying across the Tri-Cities.
Windy weather blew its way into the Tri-Cities just before midnight. As the storm peaked just before 3 a.m., there were sustained 36 mph winds with gusts reaching 60 mph in town, according to the National Weather Service.
While there were no reports of anyone being hurt, property was damaged.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office alerted drivers to be careful after the wind toppled a power pole on Dayton Road. Deputies shut down the road between Sagemoor Road and Birch Road around 4 a.m. while the pole was being moved out of the road.
In Pasco, a Honda Civic ended up crushed under a large tree at South Wehe Avenue and Butte Street. No one was in the car at the time.
People looking for a COVID test at the Benton-Franklin Health District’s Kennewick Community test site on Wednesday were sent to Pasco after heavy winds left the Ely Street location damaged.
The location on Argent Street next to Columbia Basin College is open daily 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. People can drive up, but registering ahead of time at wacovid19.org/tricitiestesting is preferred.
About 273 Benton PUD customers in the Cottonwood Springs and Lorayne J Boulevard area were also left in the dark, likely because of the high winds.
Along with other damage, the wind threw around trampolines and damaged roofs across the region. At least one Richland resident had to pull her cloth gazebo off her roof.
The wind is expected to continue blowing through the area Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.