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Crews race to restore power on Whidbey Island, WA, after windstorm

By and
Published  December 18, 2025 9:13am PST
Whidbey Island
FOX 13 Seattle
Power crews continue to restore power on Whidbey Island, WA

Power crews continue to restore power on Whidbey Island, WA

Puget Sound Energy said Whidbey Island was hit the hardest with outages. Thousands of people are still without power.

The Brief

    • Much of Whidbey Island remained without power Thursday after a windstorm brought gusts up to 71 mph across western Washington.
    • About 16,000 customers were without electricity as crews assessed damage to five substations and six transmission lines, using helicopter patrols in hard-to-reach areas.
    • Puget Sound Energy said some customers could have power restored Thursday night, but others may not see service return until Friday.

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - Much of Whidbey Island remained without power Thursday after a vicious windstorm swept through the area earlier in the week. As crews work around the clock to restore electricity across the state, officials warned some residents may not have service restored until Friday night. 

Much of Whidbey Island remained without power Thursday after a windstorm brought gusts up to 71 mph across western Washington. About 16,000 customers were without electricity as crews assessed damage to five substations and six transmission lines, using helicopter patrols in hard-to-reach areas. Puget Sound Energy said some customers could have power restored Thursday night, but others may not see service return until Friday.

A photo taken from Mukilteo shows Whidbey Island without power in the distance.

Puget Sound Energy said Island County was among the hardest-hit areas in the latest round of western Washington's stormy weather, with peak wind gusts clocking in at 71 mph. Additional concerns remained Thursday as another wind advisory is in the forecast.

A photo taken from Mukilteo shows Whidbey Island without power in the distance.

PSE outage map shows the majority of the outages in the south end of Whidbey Island. (PSE)

As of 8:30 a.m., about 16,000 customers on Whidbey Island were without power, according to PSE outage data. Five substations and six transmission lines remained offline. While some outages remain under investigation, the majority of them were caused by downed trees.

Much of Whidbey Island is still without power after a vicious windstorm swept through western Washington. As crews work around the clock to restore power to the region, officials predict the some people won’t get their power restored until Friday night. Puget Sound Energy says Island County was one of the hardest hit areas in this latest round of stormy weather, with peak wind gusts clocking in at 71 mph. There is more concern Thursday as another wind advisory is in the forecast. According to PSE’s outage numbers at 8:30 a.m., there were around 16,000 customers without power on the island. There are five substations and six transmission lines that are still offline. Since Whidbey Island is an area where access is an issue, PSE says it is using helicopter patrols to assess the damage to its electrical system. PSE also has extra contractors helping with restoration efforts. Whidbey Island suffered a significant amount of damage, especially along the south end of the island. In a Thursday morning update from PSE, they say that people in that area could get power back by Thursday night, but some people still may not get their power restored by Friday.

(FOX 13 Seattle)

Because access to parts of Whidbey Island can be limited, PSE said it is using helicopter patrol to assess damage to its electrical system. Additional contractors have also been brought in to assist with restoration efforts. 

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LIVE UPDATES: Road closures, power outages, flooding in western WA
article

LIVE UPDATES: Road closures, power outages, flooding in western WA

FOX 13 is tracking the latest weather conditions as widespread rain, breezy winds and mountain snow remains in the forecast.

When will power be restored on Whidbey Island after the windstorm?

The island sustained significant damage, particularly on the south end. In a Thursday morning update, PSE said some customers in the area could see power restored by Thursday night, though others across the state may not have service restored until 10 p.m. on Friday.

This is a developing story.

The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle and Puget Sound Energy.

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