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Eugene -Springfield Area Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan <br />2. Hazard Descriptions <br />Picture 2-7. Before (left) and after (right) thinning at Skinner Butte, showing removal of <br />dense, invasive shrubs. Note trail marker post in both photos. <br />2.10 Windstorm <br />The probability of a windstorm in the Eugene -Springfield area is high while <br />vulnerability to a windstorm is moderate. Windstorms are storms with damaging <br />"straight-line" winds. The term "straight-line" is used to differentiate from wind <br />damage caused by tornadoes. <br />2.10.1 Causes and Characteristics of the Hazard <br />Windstorms are relatively common for the Eugene -Springfield area These storms <br />occur any time of the year but are more typical during winter months. Destructive <br />winds are generally from the southwest and associated with cyclone storms which <br />move in from the Pacific Ocean. Winds from the west are generally slowed by the <br />Coast Mountain Range before reaching the Willamette valley. <br />Windstorm damage generally consists of fallen trees and power outages. Damage <br />may be much worse if the ground is heavily saturated with water increasing the <br />likelihood of trees falling. Typically, these storms have sustained winds more than <br />50 mph.74 <br />2.10.2 Climate Change <br />It is unknown how climate change may affect the severity or frequency of <br />windstorms in the Eugene -Springfield area. <br />2.10.3 History of the Hazard in Eugene -Springfield <br />Oregon's most destructive windstorm was the Columbus Day Storm in October <br />1962. Wind speeds of 116 mph were recorded in the Willamette Valley. Eighty-four <br />' United States. NOAA The National Severs Storms Laboratory. Severe Weather 101-Damaging <br />Winds. https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwxl01/wind/. Accessed August 2019. <br />2-65 January 2020 <br />