Power Outage in Hermiston, OR

Wind gusts up to 60 mph estimated, and a power outage was reported.

Public reported 28 power poles downed.

Employee of Hermiston Bowling Alley reported a semi truck trailer without a cab had flipped onto its side. Also power was out in his location.

Thunderstorm winds caused a tree to fall through a mobile home. The winds also downed power lines.

Negatively tilted shortwave trough and the cold front associated with it aided in the development of late afternoon thunderstorms across northeast Oregon. Convection began just east of the Cascades and began to intensify into stronger to severe thunderstorms by the time it reached Morrow county. 3 Miles North of Heppner a pear tree had several limbs broken off and about 5 minutes of high winds. Pendleton had a downed tree, damage to a home, and power lines down, and a barn destroyed from the high winds. 7 miles north of Helix a mesonet measured a gust of 74 MPH. Over 2800 people were without power in the city of Weston due to the high winds from the severe thunderstorm.

A combination of strong pressure gradients and convective outflow from a squall line thunderstorm produced damaging straight line winds on March 20th. Pendleton ASOS reported a 61mph gust with the gust front. The Umatilla county sheriff reported power outages and large trees uprooted in the downtown area. About 15 to 20 minutes later a pump house was destroyed and trees were uprooted in Milton-Freewater. The top portion of a 50 foot tree snapped in half and was across highway 11. CWS Orion with a microserver weather instrument reported a 76 MPH wind gust in Milton-Freewater.

Downburst damage to buildings and trees at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. Power outage.

Lightning associated with a thunderstorm moving through downtown Pendleton struck a power pole near Dairy Queen. This caused a fire in an electricity box and shut off power to homes and businesses across most of west Pendleton.