Wind knocks out power to at least 100,000 customers in Spokane area

High winds blew down trees across the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene region and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people Wednesday morning as meteorologists reported the second-highest gusts ever recorded at Spokane International Airport.

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Wed., Jan. 13, 2021

Bill Oliver, 81, was lucky to make it out of his bed alive after a pine tree crashed into his bed as he slept, Wednesday morning, Jan. 13, 2021 in Spokane Valley, Wash. High winds cause extensive damage throughout the area.

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Larry Wendel shows how a pine tree crashed into his neighbor Bill Oliver's house during the windstorm, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Spokane Valley, Wash.

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Crews work to free a carport blown into power and cable lines on the 16660 block of East Sprague in Spokane Valley, Wash., after high winds hit the area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021,

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Roger Ralston with his wife Lisa Nappa, clean out the glove compartment of their crushed Toyota Tacoma pickup truck in front of their house at 604 W. 13th Avenue, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Nappa said she was looking out the upstairs window when a pair of ponderosa pine trees uprooted taking out their vehicle as well as a neighbor's front porch.

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A tuckered out Hudson Weinert, 4, takes a pause after climbing on and around a large ponderosa pine that fell in Cannon Hill Park during Wednesday's intense windstorm that knocked out power and fell trees throughout the region.

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City of Spokane crews work to clear a pine tree blocking Lincoln Street at 28th Avenue after high winds hit the area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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A woman in her 40s died after a tree fell on her Honda C-RV at 27th Avenue and Post Street, near Comstock Park after high winds hit the Spokane area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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Crews remove a large ponderosa pine that fell on a vehicle, killing a woman at the intersection of 27th Avenue and Post Street, during an intense windstorm Wednesday morning on Spokane’s South HIll.

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A tuckered out Hudson Weinert, 4, takes a pause after climbing on and around a large ponderosa pine that fell in Cannon Hill Park during Wednesday's intense windstorm that knocked out power throughout the region.

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A ponderosa pine uprooted a homeowner's new sidewalk at Shoshone Place and Post Street, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, during an intense windstorm that fell trees and cut power to thousands across the region.

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“He’s got patients to see this morning,” said Megan Whitmore of Post Falls as she pulls branches from a fallen tree with help from her neighbor Ed Macdonald in order to clear the way for her husband Dr. Kevin Mulvey to get to work at Kootenai Health on Wednesday, Jan 13, 2021.

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A deer crosses over fallen branches near Hauser Lake during a wind storm on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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“He’s a doctor he’s got to get to work,” said Ed Macdonald as he prepares to clear a tree blocking the driveway of his neighbor Dr. Kevin Mulvey in Post Falls on Wednesday, Jan 13, 2021.

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Members of Post Falls Highway District work to clear a fallen tree from Riverview Drive during the windstorm on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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Ice on Hauser Lake is broken during the windstorm on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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Downed power lines are seen on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Browne's Addition in Spokane, Wash.

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Downed power lines are seen on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Browne's Addition in Spokane, Wash.

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A tree narrowly missed the Coeur D'Alene Park Gazebo on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Browne's Addition in Spokane, Wash.

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A tree narrowly missed the Coeur D'Alene Park Gazebo on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Browne's Addition in Spokane, Wash.

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Brittni Nelson, left rear, had just borrowed this car from a friend on Tuesday and then it was hit by a pine tree on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, after it was toppled by high winds near the corner of 28th and Howard in Spokane.

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Marta Schulte gets a view of the damage a fallen pine tree caused to a sidewalk along the 1500 block of S. Tacoma Street in Spokane after a windstorm hit the Spokane Area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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Neighbors marvel at the damage to utility poles and wires on Arthur Street and 36th caused by strong winds in the overnight hours, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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After a street tree snapped off from its planter on the traffic island in the middle of 29th Avenue on Spokane’s South Hill, city workers load branches to haul away Wednesday.

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Roofing materials are scattered around the parking lot at Manito Shopping Center on 29th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill after being torn away from nearby buildings, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Overnight and morning winds knocked down hundreds of trees causing power outages for tens of thousands of utility customers.

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Electric lines suspend broken utility poles and wires on Hatch Street and 29th caused by strong winds in the overnight hours, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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Falling trees caused by strong winds in the overnight hours barely missed a free library on Latawah St. and 28th , Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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A falling trees toppled by strong winds in the overnight hours damaged a detached garage, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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A backyard tree that fell in an alley on Ivory Street between 28th and 29th Avenues on the South Hill of Spokane knocked out utilities to the neighborhood, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

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Comstock Park on Spokane's South Hill lost many trees, toppled by strong winds in the overnight hours, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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A falling trees toppled by strong winds in the overnight hours damaged a garage of a house at 31st Avenue and Manito Boulevard, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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Damaged electrical poles and lines dangle after two trees that fell a block south on Arthur Street near 37th because of strong winds in the overnight hours, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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A street tree snapped off from its planter on the traffic island in the middle of 29th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill rests in a side street where it was dragged to clear the traffic lanes, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Overnight and morning winds knocked down hundreds of trees causing power outages for tens of thousands of utility customers.

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Tanner Macri, 21, begins taking limbs off one of two trees that fell across Arthur Street near 37th because of strong winds in the overnight hours, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020. Winds of up to 70 miles an hour swept through Spokane and brought down hundreds of trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers.

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Fallen pine trees hit the Comstock Park playground after high winds roared through the area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Spokane.

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Crews work on the fallen butterfly in Riverfront Park after high winds toppled the structure, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Spokane.

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Dozens of pine trees lay on the ground in Comstock Park after high winds swept through the area, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Spokane.

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A loading zone sign near Sumner and Cliff Drive hangs crooked after tree branches jostled it on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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Mangled power lines hang above the E. Lake St., causing a closure in Medical Lake, on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service. during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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Medical Lake Public Works employee Steve Blymyer stays jovial while redirecting drivers from downed power lines that caused E. Lake Street in Medical Lake to close near Keene St. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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A deer watches crews manage a road closure off of E. Lake St. in Medical Lake, on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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A felled tree is seen on Cliff Drive the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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A felled tree blocks off Old PSH-11 near W. Hunt Rd. in Cheney on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 during a windstorm. Gusts of 30-60 miles per hour are expected to continue until mid-afternoon, per the National Weather Service.

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