Winds exceeding 100 mph caused havoc and led to the loss of power for three-quarters of a million residents from Seattle to Denver on Wednesday and Thursday.
High winds blasted the Pacific Northwest and Rockies Wednesday and Wednesday night, knocking out power to three-quarters of a million consumers at their peak, according to PowerOutage.US. As of Thursday morning, that number had dropped to 325,000.
The strongest wind gusts in the region were recorded on mountain tops: 144 mph at Mount Coffin, Wyoming; 142 mph at Coldwater Ridge, Washington; and 138 mph at Mount Hood, Oregon. Winds exceeded 100 mph on mountaintops in at least nine states.
Storm becomes deadly in Idaho
The Kootenai Sheriff’s Office stated that a 55-year-old man was murdered near Fernan, Idaho, after a tree fell through his roof and into his bed. Heavy winds drove over massive trees in Twin Falls County, gravely injuring two children, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Widespread damage in Washington, Oregon
Trees and power lines were reported down in Washington and Oregon early Wednesday morning. The destruction came just after catastrophic flooding in the same area.
Many schools in the region have announced delayed or cancelled openings due to inclement weather.
I-5 was stopped near the Pierce-Thurston County line south of Seattle on Wednesday morning owing to electricity wires on the road. KING5 also reported that a tow vehicle on its way to assist a motorist was struck by a fallen tree and that many schools in the vicinity were closed or delayed due to the weather.
Around 8 a.m. PST on Wednesday, two semi-trucks were blown over on Interstate 90 near Medical Lake, Washington. The Washington State Department of Transportation stated that U.S. Route 12 in White Pass, Washington, was blocked due to many trees falling on the route. According to Aberdeen, Washington police, a building partially fell in East Wishkah due to heavy winds.
Winds now moving east
As the storm travels east, high winds will sweep throughout the Plains and Midwest on Thursday and into the Northeast on Friday, with gusts capable of taking down trees and power lines.
Leave a Reply