Tuesday, November 24, 2015

The Latest: About 40,000 without power in western Washington


The Latest: About 40,000 without power in western Washington

Updated 11:55 pm, Tuesday, November 24, 2015
SEATTLE (AP) — The latest on the deadly windstorm that swept across the Pacific Northwest (all times local):
9:45 p.m.
Utility officials say crews are working through the night to help restore power to more than 40,000 customers west of Seattle after another round of strong winds.
The gusts over 50 mph on Tuesday felled trees and power lines and mostly affected the Kitsap Peninsula, where Puget Sound Energy reported about 200 outages affecting more than 40,000 customers.
Tuesday's wind gusts were unrelated to a storm last week in eastern Washington. Crews in the Spokane area are still trying to restore power to about 20,000 customers affected by the damaging weather Nov. 17.
Avista Utilities in Spokane warned that as many as 5,000 customers in hard-hit areas might not have power back on Thanksgiving.
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4:35 p.m.
A new round of strong winds in Washington state has knocked out power to more than 30,000 people west of Seattle.
The gusts over 50 mph on Tuesday felled trees and power lines and mostly affected the Kitsap Peninsula, where Puget Sound Energy reported about 35,000 customers without power.
Tuesday's wind gusts were unrelated to a storm last week in eastern Washington. Crews in the Spokane area are still trying to restore power to about 20,000 people affected by the damaging weather Nov. 17.
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1:10 p.m.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is visiting Spokane to look at damage from what is being called the worst storm in the history of the state's second-largest city.
Inslee said Tuesday that residents of Spokane County have faced a long and tough week after a huge windstorm struck the region on Nov. 17, damaging the electrical grid.
About 20,000 households still don't have power a week later and now are dealing with a snowstorm and a forecast for plunging temperatures.
The governor says his office will be checking to see if the region qualifies for federal disaster assistance.
Inslee says he is impressed by the efforts of volunteers to care for vulnerable members of the Spokane community.
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10:15 a.m.
About 20,000 customers remain without power in Spokane County a week after deadly windstorms ripped through Washington state.
The National Weather Service says frigid air is moving into the Spokane region Tuesday, coupled with windy conditions that would drop wind chill factors into dangerously cold single digits.
A major windstorm Nov. 17 damaged the electrical grid in the state's second-largest city, leaving thousands without heat and light amid subfreezing temperatures. Three people died when trees fell on their vehicles.
Avista Corp., the Spokane region's major electrical utility, says crews are working around the clock, but the extent of destruction means most customers won't get power restored until late Wednesday.
Gov. Jay Inslee planned to meet with local leaders Tuesday.
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9 a.m.
The National Weather Service says about an inch of snow fell throughout the Spokane, Washington, area, where tens of thousands of households have been shivering without power for a week.
Meteorologist Matt Fugazzi says temperatures dropped to 29 degrees Monday night. He says the forecast calls for more snow, with temperatures dropping into the low 20s and strong winds that will make it feel even colder on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day.
A major windstorm Nov. 17 damaged the electrical grid in the state's second largest city, leaving more than 29,000 customers in Spokane County without heat and light amid subfreezing temperatures.
Fugazzi, whose own home has been without power, says Spokane can expect some bitter cold over the next few days.
end quote from:
http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/The-Latest-Snow-slams-Washington-city-with-power-6654399.php

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