Weather Service warns of heavy wind and rain headed through Columbia Basin

PENDLETON, Ore.-- The National Weather Service out of Pendleton issued a Special Weather State Wednesday morning, advising of heavy rain and gusty winds headed through the Mid-Columbia Basin.

At 5:05 a.m., Doppler radar was tracking an area of heavy rain and gusty winds extending between Prosser and Richland south to near Hermiston to northwest of Ukiah.

Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible as the line of showers moves through.

You're encouraged to slow down if you're driving through the weather cell and encounter heavy rain.

Locations impacted include Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Walla Walla, Hermiston, Pendleton, Connell, Dayton, West Richland, College Place, Milton-Freewater, Stanfield, Waitsburg, Athena, Echo, Weston, Mesa, Adams, Prescott and Kahlotus.