At 6:22 a.m. on Monday, the National Weather Service released a wind advisory valid from 4 p.m. until Tuesday 7 a.m. for Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon, Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon and Foothills of the Southern Blue Mountains of Oregon.

The weather service comments, "Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected."

"Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result," comments the weather service. "Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution."

Understanding high wind alerts

When it comes to high wind alerts, understanding the levels of risk is crucial. The weather service classifies them into three distinct categories:

High wind

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