Old Man Winter didn't come quietly in the night. He stormed in during these first few days of the new year and he's not quite finished with us yet.

Some of the snow we received this week has begun to melt, thanks in part to the winds which are to pick up even more. And what about the Washington passes? When will they reopen?

High Wind Advisory in Effect for Yakima

These are becoming the kinds of winds that inspired me to apply another extra couple of squirts or toupe' glue. And I don't even wear a toupe'. That's windy! All kidding aside, the National Weather Service issued a WIND ADVISORY until at least 9 PM Friday night, expecting Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts around 50 mph.

What Areas are to be Affected by the Wind Warning?

Yakima, Yakima County, and most portions of central, south-central, and southeast Washington and also north-central and northeast Oregon.

Precautions to Take During High Winds

I immediately thought about some of our Christmas decorations which are still up (taking down among my project list this weekend) Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects including that inflatable snowman. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

When Will Washington State Mountain Passes Reopen?

At this point, the Washington State Department of Transportation is offering a best-guess of Sunday for the reopening of Blewett, White, and Stevens Passes while the prognostication for Snoqualmie Pass is less clear. Could be sooner, but time will tell. For REALTIME Updates 24/7 check 

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