Deadly windstorm packs gusts over 140 mph, knocking out power in Northwest, Rockies
Three-quarters of a million residents lost power Wednesday and Thursday from Seattle to Denver as winds over 100 mph wreaked havoc and killed at least one person.
Extreme weather stretched across a huge swath of the West from Washington all the way to Colorado on Dec. 16-17.
High winds slammed the Pacific Northwest and Rockies Wednesday and Wednesday night, cutting power to three-quarters of a million customers at peak, according to PowerOutage.US. That number was down to 325,000 as of Thursday morning.
The highest wind gusts in the region were on mountain tops — 144 mph at Mount Coffin, Wyoming, 142 mph at Coldwater Ridge, Washington, and 138 mph at Mount Hood, Oregon. Winds gusted over 100 mph on mountaintops in at least nine different states.
Storm becomes deadly in Idaho
A 55-year-old man was killed in Fernan, Idaho, when a tree fell through his roof onto his bed, the Kootenai Sheriff's office reported. Additionally, two children were critically injured in Twin Falls County, when strong winds knocked over large trees, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Widespread damage in Washington, Oregon
Trees and power lines were reported down across Washington and Oregon early Wednesday. The damage comes quickly on the heels of historic flooding in the same region.
Many schools across the region announced delayed openings or closures due to the weather.
Powerful winds in the Pacific Northwest caused widespread damage on Dec. 17, as seen in this drone video from the Lake Stevens area.
Near the Pierce-Thurston County line south of Seattle, I-5 was closed due to power lines on the road Wednesday morning. KING5 also reported that a tow truck on its way to help a motorist was hit by a falling tree, and that multiple schools in the area were closed or delayed due to the weather.
Two semi-trucks were blown over on Interstate 90 near Medical Lake, Washington, around 8 a.m. PST Wednesday. U.S. Highway 12 was closed at White Pass, Washington, after multiple trees fell on the highway, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported. Aberdeen, Washington, police reported a building partially collapsed near East Wishkah due to high winds.
A photo taken on Dec. 17, 2025, in Clark County, Washington shows a tree down on NW 199th Street in Ridgefield, Washington, after strong winds caused damage in the area. (Image credit: Clark County Sheriff's Office)
Power was cut ahead of the storm in Colorado
Xcel Energy implemented planned power shutoffs in parts of the Denver and Boulder Front Range in anticipation of severe winds, specifically to minimize the chance of wind-damaged lines sparking fires.
Power poles along U.S. Highway 93 near Golden, Colo., snapped in half during a strong windstorm on Dec. 17, 2025. (RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Winds now moving east
As the storm moves east, strong winds will spread across a large swath of the Plains and Midwest states Thursday, and into the Northeast Friday, with gusts capable of knocking down trees and power lines.
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