Power outages reported as severe thunderstorms roll through

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Spokane, Pend Oreille and Kootenai counties. it will expire at 9:15 p.m. Wind gusts of 55 mph are possible, the weather service said. Two previous thunderstorm warning effecting local counties expired at 8:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Avista is reporting that about 2,000 customers are without power. Of those, 1,100 are in north Spokane, the utility reported on its website. About 700 are without power near Francis and Monroe. Another 400 are out along state Highway 291 north of Francis. Avista estimates that power will be restored at those locations about 11:15 p.m. About 700 are without power in Davenport. Inland Power and Light is reporting more than 400 customers without power. Most of them are in southern Stevens County. Below is the full report on the most recent warning from the weather service: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPOKANE HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… WESTERN KOOTENAI COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF IDAHO… NORTHEASTERN SPOKANE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… SOUTHEASTERN PEND OREILLE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… * UNTIL 915 PM PDT * AT 827 PM PDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AROUND 55 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR TRENTWOOD…OR 15 MILES WEST OF POST FALLS…AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. SMALL HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS. * THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR… LIBERTY LAKE AND OTIS ORCHARDS AROUND 835 PM PDT. OTIS ORCHARDS-EAST FARMS AROUND 840 PM PDT. HAUSER AROUND 845 PM PDT. POST FALLS AROUND 850 PM PDT. RATHDRUM AROUND 855 PM PDT. HAYDEN…DALTON GARDENS AND HAYDEN LAKE AROUND 905 PM PDT. COEUR D`ALENE AROUND 910 PM PDT. OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE MICA… ELK…NEWMAN LAKE…FERNAN LAKE VILLAGE…LACLEDE…MOUNT SPOKANE… OPPORTUNITY…HUETTER…VERADALE AND CHILCO. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS OF 53 MPH. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS…CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF ON OR NEAR LAKE COEUR D`ALENE…AND SURROUNDING LAKES…GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM.

Below is a previous version of this report.

The National Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for portions of Spokane, Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties until 8:30 p.m. The weather service said the storm affecting Lincoln, Spokane and southern Stevens counties was capable of producing wind gusts of 55 mph and dime-size hail. The weather service said that the storm affecting central Stevens and Pend Oreille counties has produced hail about an inch in diameter, causing damage to cars near Arden, which is south of Colville on U.S. Highway 395. Wind gusts up to 50 mph is possible in the storm, the weather service reported.

Below are the full statements from the weather service for the two warning issued this evening: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPOKANE HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… EAST CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY IN EASTERN WASHINGTON… SOUTHEASTERN STEVENS COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… CENTRAL SPOKANE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… * UNTIL 830 PM PDT * AT 737 PM PDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS OF AROUND 55 MPH. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIMES ARE LIKELY. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF SUNCREST…OR 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPOKANE…AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… SPOKANE…AIRWAY HEIGHTS…NINE MILE FALLS…DEER PARK… MILLWOOD…TOWN AND COUNTRY…FAIRWOOD…SUNCREST…CHATTAROY… MEAD…DISHMAN…COUNTRY HOMES…FAIRCHILD AFB…TRENTWOOD… REARDAN…OPPORTUNITY…FORD…DEEP CREEK…COLBERT AND TUM TUM. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS…DESTRUCTIVE HAIL… DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION…MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPOKANE HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… EAST CENTRAL STEVENS COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… CENTRAL PEND OREILLE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON… * UNTIL 830 PM PDT * AT 722 PM PDT…TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCE HAIL AROUND QUARTER SIZE AND ONE INCH IN DIAMETER NEAR ARDEN AROUND 715 PM. DUE TO THE REPORTED LARGE AMOUNT OF HAIL…THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO CARS NEAR ARDEN. GUSTS UP TO 45 TO 50 MPH IS POSSIBLE. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHEWELAH…OR 36 MILES NORTHWEST OF PRIEST RIVER…AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… CUSICK…SOUTH SKOOKUM LAKE CAMPGROUND…BROWNS LAKE CAMPGROUND AND RUBY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM…PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR LARGE HAIL AND VERY GUSTY WINDS. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER… PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.