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High winds, rain knock out power for thousands in Washington
Saturday night brought intense winds and some rain to western Washington, causing power outages for thousands of residents. FOX 13 Seattle reporter Sam Campbell has the latest on how utilities are working to restore power.
WASHINGTON - Power outages continue to affect thousands of western Washington residents on Sunday morning after high wind gusts and rain rolled through the area on Saturday night.
By the numbers:
As of 10 a.m. on Sunday, Seattle City Light shows that 6,783 customers in King County remain without power. Just before midnight, that number was about 30,000.
At 11:30 a.m., the number of outages dropped to 4,889.
Puget Sound Energy's map showed 21,656 customers without power last night. As of 10 a.m., the map shows 7,713 customers without power.
At 11 a.m., that number dropped to 5,198.
Snohomish County's outage map shows just 449 customers without power, which is down from 9,106. At 11:30 a.m., that number dropped to 222.
Tacoma Public Utilities said that 1,802 customers were without power around midnight, but that number has decreased to 13.
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Seattle weather: Rain and gusty wind for Saturday evening
Winds are forecast to gust near 50–60 mph along the coast with winds picking up along the I-5 corridor by later tonight. Winds will be breezy into early Sunday morning before they start to relax during the rest of the afternoon.
What they're saying:
Seattle City Light said its work has led to the restoration of power for about 80% of customers initially impacted by the outages.
"We are sending additional crews to the remaining outage sites and working to safely restore power as soon as possible," the utility said.
Dig deeper:
Seattle City Light's outage map shows that the majority of the outages are affecting residents in Capitol Hill between Madison and Republican streets.
At one point on Saturday, the utility said it was actively working on 143 different outages throughout the city.
Video taken by FOX 13 shows various power lines down on Dexter Avenue in Seattle, including a streetlight, street signs, and trees lying in the street.
In South Seattle, areas like Burien continue to deal with outages as well.
What you can do:
In the face of unexpected power outages, residents can take several steps to stay safe and minimize disruption to their routines. Here are tips to consider:
Safety First:
- Avoid downed power lines and treat them, and anything touching them, as live electricity. Report them immediately to Seattle City Light.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to prevent the risk of fire.
Food preservation:
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed; an unopened fridge can keep food cold for about four hours, while a full freezer can maintain its temperature for about 48 hours.
- Place a block of ice inside the refrigerator to enhance the cold if power is expected to be out for an extended period.
Communication:
- Keep a portable, battery-powered radio to stay updated on the power restoration process.
- Use a car charger to charge mobile devices; keep conversations brief to conserve battery life.
Comfort:
- Layer clothing and use blankets to stay warm.
- During daylight hours, stay in the brightest part of the house or use the time to go to a location that has power.
Practical measures:
- Manually open electronic garage doors or gates.
- If safe, consider a trip to the store for supplies, but be cautious as traffic lights may be out, creating dangerous road conditions.
The Source: Information for this story came from Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County Public Utility District, Tacoma Public Utilties and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Sam Campbell.
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