High winds mixed down to the surface behind the passage of a strong cold front in the Spokane area. Spokane International Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 66 miles per hour at 4:14 PM PST.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS OTX wrote it up.
High winds mixed down to the surface behind the passage of a strong cold front in the Spokane area. Spokane International Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 66 miles per hour at 4:14 PM PST. The winds damaged a transmission line, which cut power to 6,726 customers on Spokane's South Hill.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 15, 1:35 PM PST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
235 PM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A SERIES OF WEAK PACIFIC FRONTS WILL BRING BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH PERIODS OF VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO
THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY. EXPECT DRIER CONDITIONS WITH
TEMPERATURES NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
ANOTHER PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON SUNDAY.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
...WINDY CONDITIONS THIS EVENING...
.TONIGHT...THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN IDAHO
PANHANDLE WILL BE CANCELLED. SNOW LEVELS ARE RISING IN NORTH
IDAHO AS A WARM FRONT SURGES NORTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. TRAFFIC
CAMERAS AT SPIRIT LAKE (ELEVATION 2600FT) SHOW PRECIPITATION
CHANGING TO RAIN. SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT VALLEY ACCUMULATION MAY BE
POSSIBLE EARLY THIS EVENING AROUND PRIEST LAKE...BUT THE MAJORITY
OF THE VALLEY LOCATIONS INCLUDING BONNERS FERRY AND SANDPOINT WILL
EXPERIENCE RAIN UNTIL AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE. BEHIND THE
FRONT...STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL LIMIT MUCH PRECIPITATION AFTER 03Z.
WINDY CONDITIONS ARE STILL EXPECTED ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. SURFACE PRESSURE
TENDENCIES AND SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE VISIBLE SATELLITE
SUGGESTS THAT THE COLD FRONT IS CRESTING THE CASCADES AS OF 21Z.
AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN
INTO THE MOSES LAKE AREA ARE RUNNING IN THE UPPER 50S TO NEAR 60
DEGREES. THE WELL MIXED BOUNDARY LAYER JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS
ALLOWED GUSTS AS HIGH AS 49KT TO SURFACE AT THE HANFORD REPORTING
STATION. AS LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION COMMENCES BEHIND THE SURFACE
FRONT...LOOK FOR INCREASING MECHANICAL MIXING OVER CENTRAL AND
EASTERN WASHINGTON. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE VERY QUICKLY...AND
WILL TRANSLATE ACROSS THE BASIN INTO THE SPOKANE AREA BY 00Z.
DARKENING ON THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY NEARING THE CASCADE
CREST...THE RAPID EROSION OF STRATUS AROUND MOSES LAKE...AND THE
WAVE CLOUDS STARTING TO DEVELOP OVER THE BASIN ARE ALL CLUES ON
THE SATELLITE THAT GUSTY WINDS WILL SOON DEVELOP. GUSTS OF 40MPH
ARE EXPECTED FROM THE WATERVILLE PLATEAU TO THE PALOUSE AND INTO
THE SPOKANE AREA THROUGH AT LEAST 03Z. PREFRONTAL GUSTS OF
35-40MPH WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE OVER THE CAMAS PRAIRIE WITH A TIGHT
PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE CENTRAL PANHANDLE. A WIND ADVISORY IS
NOT ANTICIPATED FOR THE WINCHESTER AREA AT THIS TIME...BUT SOME
GUSTS MAY LOCALLY REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA. WIND ADVISORIES REMAIN
INTACT FOR THE WATERVILLE PLATEAU...THE BASIN...THE PALOUSE...AND
THE SPOKANE AREA THROUGH 03Z. /GKOCH
MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON AN
ACTIVE PERIOD OF WEATHER FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WORKWEEK. AN
UPPER LOW SPINNING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL SEND A SERIES OF
IMPULSES THROUGH THE REGION. A 140KT UPPER LEVEL JET WILL SLOWLY
DRIFT NORTH ACROSS THE REGION...SHIFTING NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA
BY TUESDAY NIGHT. POPS WILL CONTINUE ABOVE CLIMO FOR THIS FORECAST
PERIOD. ON MONDAY INSTABILITY SHOWERS WILL BE PREVALENT AS A -36C
500MB COLD POOL MOVES OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST. MODELS ARE
TRENDING A BIT LESS ENTHUSIASTIC CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL FOR
THUNDER FOR OUR NORTHEAST ZONES. THE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AS THE COLD POOL SLOWLY SLIDES TO THE
NORTHEAST. THE MOST UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL SHIFT TO THE
NORTHEAST ZONES ON TUESDAY. WITH THE JET LIFTING NORTH THERE WILL
BE LESS OF A THREAT OF SHOWERS ACROSS THE BASIN. WITH SNOW LEVELS
RANGING FROM 1500 FT NORTH TO 3000 FT SOUTH MOST VALLEYS WILL SEE
RAIN OR SNOW DURING THE DAY WITH MAINLY SNOW AT NIGHT. THE
EXCEPTION WILL BE THE SOUTHERNMOST VALLEYS WHERE RAIN WILL
PREDOMINATE. LIGHT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED DURING
THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH MELTING DURING THE DAY. TUESDAY NIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY THE AIRMASS STABILIZES AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHES AND
MID LEVEL START TO WARM. OVERRUNNING PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD
FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AS MOIST ISENTROPIC ASCENT ENHANCES
LIFT ACROSS THE REGION. POPS WILL CONTINUE ABOVE CLIMO WITH A
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION FOR MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES
WILL BE ON A GRADUAL WARMING TREND BUT CONTINUE BELOW SEASONAL
NORMALS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. /KELCH
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...A TIGHTLY CLUSTERED GFS/EURO AND
ENSEMBLE MEMBER PACKAGE THIS MORNING RESULTS IN A BIT MORE
CONFIDENCE FOR THE END OF THE WORK WEEK HOWEVER...THE WAVE-TRAIN
APPEARS TO HAVE SHIFTED ABOUT 7-10 DEGREES EASTWARD WHICH
SUPPRESSES THE PREVIOUS MENTIONED RIDGING OVER THE PAC NW INTO
MORE OF A FLAT...ZONAL FLOW BECOMING SOUTHWESTERLY BY LATE FRIDAY
AS A DEEPENING TROUGH APPROACHES THE COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE
CURRENT THINKING OF DRIER CONDITIONS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CLIMO
POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN MTS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMING NEAR TO
SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL.
SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...ALTHOUGH SOME DISAGREEMENT AMONGST
LONG-RANGE GUIDANCE REGARDING TIMING AND STRENGTH...THE BIG
PICTURE IS THAT AN UNSEASONABLY COOL TROUGH WILL APPROACH AND
GRADUALLY MOVE INTO THE PAC NW BRINGING ANOTHER PERIOD OF
UNSETTLED WEATHER. THE FORECAST WILL FOLLOW A GEFS MEAN/ECMWF/12Z
CANADIAN BLEND WHICH ARE CLUSTERED FAIRLY CLOSE AT THIS TIME AND
SUGGEST A SLOWER SOLUTION OPPOSED TO THE QUICKER 12Z OPERATIONAL
GFS. A CLOSER LOOK OUT WEST INTO THE WESTERN PACIFIC AND COMPARING
IT TO THE 5-WAVE CHART WOULD SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF THE
TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND NW THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY.
THIS IS DUE TO A LARGE HEIGHT ANOMALY/BLOCKING THAT EXTENDS INTO
THE ARCTIC CIRCLE AT OR SLIGHTLY WEST OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DATELINE. MODEL GUIDANCE AND CPC FORECAST SUGGEST THIS BLOCKING
WILL TREND WEAKER AFTER MONDAY AND WE MAY EVOLVE INTO AN ACTIVE
ZONAL PATTERN WITH A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES LINED ACROSS THE PACIFIC
INTO THE NORTHERN CONUS WHICH WOULD KEEP THE WEATHER ACTIVE BUT
EACH SYSTEM WILL BE SHORT-LIVED.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE TRICKY...BUT WITH THE CURRENT THINKING OF A
SLOWER TROUGH PASSAGE...THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE WARMER CONTINENTAL
AIR WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO ADVECT NORTHWARD BRINGING NEAR TO
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THEN AS
PRECIPITATION AND COOLER AIR MOVES IN...EXPECT SOME COOLING FOR
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. /BODNAR
&&
.AVIATION...
A VIGOROUS AND QUICK MOVING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY
PRECIPITATION AND LOCALLY STRONG WINDS THROUGH 03Z-05Z. CEILING
AND VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS DUE TO RAIN AND SNOW WILL BE THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT OVER NORTHEAST WASHINGTON INTO THE IDAHO PANHANDLE
BETWEEN 21Z AND 00Z. RAPID IMPROVEMENTS IN CEILING AND VISIBILITY
WILL DEVELOP AROUND 00Z BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. SURFACE WIND GUSTS
TO 35KT WILL BE COMMON FROM MOSES LAKE TO PULLMAN TO SPOKANE
THROUGH AT LEAST 03Z. WINDS WILL SETTLE DOWN BETWEEN 03Z-06Z AND
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 18Z. THE ONLY EXCEPTION MAY BE
SOME LINGERING RAGGED STRATUS OVER THE IDAHO PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS
TO AROUND COEUR DALENE. /GKOCH
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SPOKANE 29 41 30 41 30 43 / 20 50 50 40 30 40
COEUR DALENE 28 40 30 41 30 43 / 40 60 50 50 30 50
PULLMAN 31 45 32 45 33 48 / 50 40 40 40 30 30
LEWISTON 37 50 35 52 35 54 / 50 40 30 30 20 20
COLVILLE 24 39 30 44 27 46 / 30 70 60 50 40 50
SANDPOINT 29 38 30 40 29 42 / 70 60 60 50 40 60
KELLOGG 29 37 30 41 29 45 / 70 70 60 70 40 50
MOSES LAKE 29 47 30 48 32 50 / 10 30 30 20 20 20
WENATCHEE 30 42 32 47 32 49 / 10 30 30 20 20 30
OMAK 26 41 29 46 29 48 / 10 50 40 40 30 50
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR COEUR DALENE
AREA...IDAHO PALOUSE.
WA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR LOWER GARFIELD AND
ASOTIN COUNTIES...MOSES LAKE AREA...SPOKANE AREA...UPPER
COLUMBIA BASIN...WASHINGTON PALOUSE...WATERVILLE PLATEAU.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA 728 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009 IDZ001-004-WAZ037-038-161430- NORTHERN PANHANDLE-CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS-OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS- 728 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH IDAHO... NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON AND NORTHEAST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT EXPECT MOUNTAIN SNOWS TO CONTINUE...WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF SEVERAL INCHES ABOVE 3500 FEET. IN ADDITION...MOUNTAIN WIND GUSTS OF 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. IDZ002-003-WAZ032>036-044-161430- COEUR DALENE AREA-IDAHO PALOUSE- LOWER GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES-WASHINGTON PALOUSE- MOSES LAKE AREA-UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN-SPOKANE AREA- WATERVILLE PLATEAU- 728 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH IDAHO... CENTRAL WASHINGTON...EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON...NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMON LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. IDZ026-027-WAZ031-041>043-161430- LEWISTON AREA-LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES- NORTHEAST BLUE MOUNTAINS-WENATCHEE AREA- EAST SLOPES NORTHERN CASCADES-OKANOGAN VALLEY- 728 AM PDT SUN MAR 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO...NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 157994.