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Under the M

High Wind Warning

To the Campus Community,

 

There is a  in effect for the Missoula area from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 17.

 

The UM campus will see sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph. The timing will be such that your morning commute to campus, as well as navigating campus throughout the day, might bring some challenges. 

 

Specifically:

  • The National Weather Service predicts powerful winds tomorrow morning (8 a.m.). There is high potential for broken or downed trees and power lines. Power outages as a result are likely.
  • Travel may be difficult, especially for vehicles traveling on north-south oriented roads and highways.The potential for severe crosswinds (west-to-east) and blowing debris may create additional hazards.
  • For those in the Bitterroot Valley, conditions will be more severe, with the potential for wind gusts in excess of 80 mph.
  • While there is no significant precipitation with this storm, there will be light accumulations of rain and snow mix and the potential for icy conditions with associated wind chill temperatures.

What to do:

  1. Check the  often to learn the timing and impact of predicted weather conditions.
  2. Check both your UM email and text messages for any updates regarding campus operations. If there are significant events or changes due to the storm, we will communicate through our emergency notification channels, as well as via the UM website, social media and local news outlets.
  3. Check , especially if you commute from outlying areas, to understand if there are advisories, delays or information about current conditions.
  4. If conditions are not safe, please discuss flexible scheduling or alternate work arrangements directly with your supervisor.

Facilities and Emergency Management crews have been monitoring this storm and planning for contingencies, including damaging winds and loss of power. Please be patient as they work to respond safely and quickly to any incidents that arise.

 

The good news: This system should move out relatively quickly, with this high wind warning set to expire by 5 p.m. tomorrow. Please check current conditions frequently to stay up to date on the storm.

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and stay safe.

 

Paula Short

Associate Vice President for Campus Operations

 

This message was sent by UM Internal Communications on behalf of the Associate Vice President for Campus Operations to all UM employees.