50+ mph gusts topple Tri-Cities power lines and trigger flooding
Warmer temperatures and high winds combined to flood streets, knock down power lines and caused dozens of homes to lose electricity overnight Tuesday.
After a week of snow and below freezing weather, temperatures rose quickly above 50 degrees. The same system brought in sustained winds as high as 39 mph and gusts as high as 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The wind gusts at the top of Rattlesnake Mountain reached about 70 mph, according to windfinder.com.
The sudden warm temperatures melted last week’s snow and ice within a day, overloading storm drains and flooding streets. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reported several water-covered roads near Kahlotus.
There also was standing water on Pasco-Kahlotus highway and other roads.
As night fell, West Richland police reported that the flooding forced the closure of about half a mile of busy Keene Road between Watkins Way and Bombing Range Road.
Blustery winds also bent a utility pole and knocked power lines over Burns Road between Broadmoor Boulevard and Dent Road. The north Pasco street was closed while Franklin PUD worked to fix the lines.
Franklin PUD reported that 70 customers lost power along Court Street in the downtown area of Pasco about 8:15 p.m.
About 100 more in east Kennewick lost electricity for a time, as well.
The strained drainage systems in the Tri-Cities are still having problems keeping up with snow melt.
Richland police warned in a Facebook post that if people drive too fast through the standing water, they could hydroplane and lose control of their car.
Thursday forecast
While the gusts diminished on Wednesday, the Tri-Cities still saw a breezy morning with sustained winds near 20 mph and gusts approaching 30 mph, according to the weather service.
Breezy conditions were expected to die down Thursday night, as temperatures drop again into the high 20s overnight. There was a 30% chance of snow overnight turning into a 50% chance of rain and snow Thursday morning.
The chance of rain is expected to continue through Thursday and then turn into an 80% chance of rain overnight.
The temperatures are expected to hover around the freezing mark until it warms up a bit on Friday.
This story was originally published December 28, 2022 at 12:46 PM.