Crews Work to Restore Power After Windstorm Hits Eastern Washington and North Idaho

Avista says over 61,000 customers initially lost power, with 8,495 still without as of Friday morning.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:36am

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Avista crews are working around the clock to restore power across parts of eastern Washington and northern Idaho after a windstorm earlier this week damaged power lines and infrastructure. The utility says about 61,000 customers were initially affected by outages, with roughly 8,495 still without power as of Friday morning. Heavy snowfall following the storm has made restoration efforts more difficult in some areas, and Avista estimates some customers may remain without power through the weekend.

Why it matters

Power outages can have significant impacts on communities, affecting businesses, homes, and critical services. The windstorm highlights the vulnerability of the region's power grid to extreme weather events and the importance of utility companies' ability to quickly respond and restore service.

The details

Avista says crews have been patrolling hundreds of miles of power lines by vehicle, foot, helicopter and drone to assess damage and begin repairs. Replacing a single power pole can take up to eight hours, and the heavy snowfall has added to the challenges. More than 47 Avista line crews, 14 contract crews, and 16 vegetation management crews are currently responding to outages.

  • The windstorm occurred earlier this week, on Wednesday.
  • As of 10 a.m. Friday, roughly 8,495 customers remained without power.
  • Avista estimates customers in some areas may remain without power through the weekend.

The players

Avista

A utility company providing electricity and natural gas services to customers in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and parts of Oregon.

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What’s next

Avista says customers should stay away from downed power lines and report any issues to 911 and the utility. The company's outage map and reporting tools are available online for updates.

The takeaway

This windstorm highlights the importance of utility companies' ability to quickly respond and restore power after extreme weather events, as well as the need for continued investment in grid resilience to mitigate the impacts of such storms on communities.