Damaging wind storm blows through our area

Damaging wind storm blows through our area

Crews work on removing a fallen tree on Gordon Creek Road near Oxbow Park in east Multnomah County on Monday. The fir fell across the road, taking other trees and power lines down with it.

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By KATU Web Staff

PORTLAND, Ore. - Gusts of more than 80 mph hit the Oregon coast and high winds blew through the Willamette Valley Monday, leaving a trail of power outages and downed trees in the storm's wake. 

A weather station at Cape Meares on the Oregon coast recorded a 92 mph wind gust. A similar gust was noted at Clatsop Spit north of Cannon Beach. Hurricane-force winds are recognized at 74 mph.

According to KATU Meteorologist Rhonda Shelby, a high wind advisory is in effect in the valley from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with sustained southerly winds of 20 mph to 30 mph and isolated gusts up to 50 mph expected. Salem had already felt a 48 mph gust by 10 a.m. while a gust of 45 mph was recorded at Portland International Airport.

The high winds knocked out power to thousands on the east side of Portland and in areas south toward Salem early Monday. At its peak, more than 35,000 PGE customers lost power due to the storm. The impact was concentrated in Washington County, east Marion County and southern Clackamas County.

Some of the largest outages were in:

  • West Beaverton/Aloha: 4,800
  • North Beaverton/Cedar Hills: 3,900
  • Sherwood: 4,000
  • Southeast Portland: 6,700
  • Silverton and surrounding area: 5,100
  • Salem: 2,200
  • Molalla area 1,500

Crews were working to restore power to all areas. Power companies said all possible help was in the field dealing with the outages. 

In one strange case near Canby, a vehicle became entangled in a downed powerline, forcing the occupants to wait for power crews to cut them free. It happened about 11:45 a.m. near the intersection of South New Era Road and South Central Point Road.

Canby fire officials said the vehicle simply drove past the wire and that was all it took to get wrapped up in it. PGE crews arrived and quickly cut the still live wire free from the vehicle, fire officials said.

In other areas, nearly 10,000 Cowlitz County PUD customers lost power Monday. On the coast, PacificCorp said about 15,000 customers were without power at times early Monday between Astoria and Tillamook, but only about 3,200 remained out by midmorning, the Associated Press reported.

The coast was bearing the brunt of the winds, however, especially further north toward Seattle. A high wind warning was in effect Monday with gusts expected to reach up to 85 mph on the beaches. Coastal communities should see gusts closer to 65 mph. 

 

 

The winds should die down there by about noon, Shelby said.

Wet but much less windy weather is expected for the rest of the week.

For the latest weather forecast, check here.

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