A severe windstorm swept through the Spokane region, leaving nearly 100,000 customers without power early Wednesday morning. The outage peaked at 9:30 a.m., affecting numerous utilities in the Inland Northwest.
Windstorm Impact on Power Outages
Outages began around 4:30 a.m. with about 1,000 customers affected. By mid-morning, approximately 67,700 Avista Utilities customers were without power, a decrease from 77,400 earlier that morning. Other utilities reported significant impacts as well.
Utility Outage Statistics
- Avista Utilities: 67,700 customers without power at 10 a.m. (down from 77,400 at 7:55 a.m.)
- Inland Power: 13,100 customers affected at 10 a.m. (down from 14,400 at 8:15 a.m.)
- Northern Lights: 8,500 customers in Bonner County and 2,100 in Boundary County without power.
- Kootenai Electric Cooperative: 7,300 customers affected.
- Pend Oreille Public Utility District: 1,700 customers out (down from 2,500 at 9:30 a.m.)
Weather Conditions and Warnings
The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts in the Spokane area reached up to 75 mph, potentially setting a new record high. Spokane International Airport recorded this gust, surpassing previous records of 71 mph from 2015 and 2021. Felts Field recorded a gust of 67 mph.
Authorities issued a high wind warning effective until 4 p.m., with expectations of continued wind gusts around 55 mph before tapering off later in the day.
Emergency Response and Public Safety
Spokane Fire Department responded to numerous incidents related to downed trees and power lines throughout the city. Officials emphasized the need for public caution. Residents are advised to use 911 only for emergencies, especially if power lines pose an immediate danger. Other issues should be reported to Avista at (800) 227-9187 and trees blocking roads to 311.
Traffic and Infrastructure Issues
Several city streets in Spokane were obstructed due to fallen trees, including:
- Bernard Street between 22nd and 26th avenues
- Cowley Street at Eighth Avenue
- Boone Avenue at Cowley
- Green Street at Marshall Avenue
In Pullman, gusty winds flipped two semi-trucks on U.S. Highway 195. Emergency alerts prompted both Pullman School District and Washington State University to announce two-hour delays in operations.
As restoration efforts began, utility crews fanned out across the region to assess and repair damage. Utility spokespersons indicated that repair timelines remained uncertain, as the situation continued to develop.
