A lookback at the Nov. 17, 2015 historic windstorm

On Nov. 17, 2015 a historic windstorm tore through Spokane killing two people and leaving nearly two hundred thousand without power.

Section:Gallery

Fri., Nov. 14, 2025

Matt Van Vleet, who lives on 18th Ave., east of Bernard, surveys the damage to his garage and two cars from a neighbor's tree on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Another car now shown, a Subaru, was purchased only a week ago.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review
A piece of steel roofing blows off the SpokAnimal building in east Spokane Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 as a wind storm sweeps through the area.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review
Mark Webber, facilities supervisor at MAC, walks past the damaged Lego display figures after he collected them the parking lot, Nov. 17, 2015. High winds toppled them from the roof top.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Tiar Atoi, 19, right and another pedestrian are tossed to the ground by high winds as they wait to catch a bus at STA Plaza, Nov. 17, 2015, in Spokane, Wash. Rain and high winds snarled traffic and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people in Western Washington on Tuesday, while the Inland Northwest braced for severe weather that could include wind gusts to 70 mph.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Chris Lane leans into the howling wind just to stay upright while waiting to be picked up by car at the STA Plaza, Nov. 17, 2015, in Spokane, Wash.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
A large pine tree fell across Greenwood Memorial Terrace gravestones during the Nov. 17, 2015 windstorm.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Jake Hines, left, and Ross Rukke, of Capstone Construction, move into position to wrap a crane cable around a fallen tree at 4124 south Manito Boulevard, Nov. 21, 2105, in Spokane.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
A hand-made sign warns motorists of fallen tree debris on 32nd Avenue near Manito Boulevard. City crews clean up the mess with dump trucks and loaders, Nov. 21, 2015.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
The family of homeowner Rachel Wier band together to cut up and clear a large ponderosa pine that landed and blocked the road at 4100 N. Hawthorne Street, Wed. Nov. 18, 2015.

Colin Mulvany The Spokesman-Review
Larry Roberts places his recycling bin outside his Woodfield Place home on Spokane's south side, Nov. 18, 2015, the morning after a wind storm knock down the gated community's fence.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Jody Stirpe and her dog Daisy, with their spruce tree on the ground, watch neighbors cut up another spruce tree covering the street near the corner of 54th and Napa, Nov. 18, 2015.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Pam and Scott Travis view the damage to their home at 55th and Pittsburg, Nov. 18, 2015, after a pine tree smashed their rear deck and kitchen area. A windstorm tore through the area the night before.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
An utility pole is sheared off near 39th and Crestline, Nov. 18, 2015, after a wind storm ripped through the Spokane area the night before.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Jay Bly checks out the damage to his home after a Norwegian spruce fell on his house 5507 N. Whitehouse Street during the Nov. 17, 2015 wind storm. Winds hit 71 mph.

Colin Mulvany The Spokesman-Review
Ryan Butler, of Spokane, uses a construction saw to cut back a giant tree that fell across his street on Nov. 17, 2015. The windstorm that day was the most destructive in Avista Utilities history.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review
Shelly Aase embraces her dog Mattie Jo as they venture out from their home to view the wind damage on Upton near Milton in north Spokane, Nov. 20, 2015. Aase says the dog has been wrapped inside her coat for reassurance. Aasue has on a head lamp for light in her darkened house.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Shaun Meeds views the damage a fallen tree caused to a condo at the corner of 3rd and Chestnut, Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, in Spokane's Browne's Addition. Tuesday's windstorm caused extensive property damage through the area.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Zach Trujillo battles the high winds as he catches a bus, Nov. 17, 2015, at the STA Plaza in downtown Spokane, Wash.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review
Nine-year-old Quercus Watters sits bundled up with a hat, gloves and coat solving math problems his cold south Spokane apartment, Friday, Nov. 20,2015, after high winds knocked out power to the region on Tuesday.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review