© Laura Joki
The service issued wind advisories for several areas along Oregon and Washington's coast and inlands, while saying hurricane force winds could occur in coastal waters.
Forecasters expect peak winds of as much as 45 mph to hit the central and northern Oregon coast about 5 p.m. Wednesday and last through 11 p.m. Coastal residents and travelers should expect wind gusts of up to 85 mph along beaches and headlands, the service said.
Warnings for hurricane-force means winds must surpass 64 knots, or about 74 mph, according to the weather service. "We only use the hurricane-force terminology over the coastal waters," but equally strong winds along the coastal beaches carry significant potential damage, said Andy Bryant, a hydrologist with the weather service's Portland office.
Vessels should remain in port or take shelter until winds and waves subside. The winds are expected to be strong enough to damage trees, disrupt power and damage property. Travel could be hazardous. "Based on experience, we've anticipated and prepared for this weather and the outages that could occur," said Curtis Mansfield, vice president of operations for
Pacific Power, which serves parts of Oregon, Washington, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. "Our crews are prepared to respond, and so we encourage our customers to be prepared as well."
Comment: There has also been an apparent increase in volcanic activity throughout the whole world in recent times.