wind blue sky

The National Weather Service office in Pendleton issued a wind advisory from 10 a.m. Thursday to 9 p.m. Friday, when winds gusts could reach 55 mph across Central Oregon.

The advisory calls for west winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. But the winds are expected to increase Friday with winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts between 50 and 55 mph, according to the weather service.

“There’s just not a break for the next 24 hours, and Friday could even be a little bit stronger than today,” Mary Wister, a weather service meteorologist in Pendleton, said Thursday morning.

High winds reaching 55 mph could occur in cities throughout the region, including Bend, Redmond, Madras and Sisters, Wister said.

“It’s very possible,” Wister said. “It’s a widespread area across Central Oregon.”

Residents are encouraged to secure outdoor objects that could blow away, and be careful of falling trees and tree limbs.

“You can’t rule out the possibility you might have a fallen tree because the ground is so wet,” Wister said.

In addition, travelers need to use extra caution due to the strong winds, according to the weather service.