Powerful Windstorm Slams Oregon and Washington With 138 MPH Gusts, Widespread Power Outages, and Ongoing Wind Alerts
OREGON & WASHINGTON — A powerful windstorm tore across the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, delivering some of the strongest wind gusts reported this season, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and prompting expansive wind alerts across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
A Major Wind Event Batters the Pacific Northwest
The most intense gust was recorded on Mt. Hood, Oregon, where sensors captured a staggering 138 mph wind gust, strong enough to cause structural damage, down trees, and disrupt mountain operations. Additional severe gusts were reported across the region as the storm’s core pushed inland.
Extreme Wind Gusts Recorded Across Multiple States
Updated wind data from the last 24 hours showed several locations experiencing hurricane-force or stronger wind speeds:
- Mt. Hood, OR — 138 mph
- Peola, WA — 99 mph
- Hood River, OR — 98 mph
- Mount Hood, OR — 92 mph
- Genesee, ID — 91 mph
- Vida, OR — 90 mph
These extraordinary gusts were fueled by a fast-moving low-pressure system interacting with steep terrain, amplifying wind channels along mountain passes and valleys.
Widespread Power Outages and Regional Damage
Electric utilities across Oregon and Washington reported hundreds of thousands of customers without power at various points Wednesday into Thursday. Strong winds downed:
- Transmission lines
- Residential power poles
- Large trees
- Roadway debris along highways from Portland to Spokane
Damage assessments are ongoing in rural areas where gusts exceeded 100 mph.
Wind Alerts Remain in Effect Through Thursday
National Weather Service offices across the Northwest have issued a combination of:
- High Wind Warnings
- Wind Advisories
- Lake Wind Advisories
Large portions of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana remain under alerts as gusty conditions persist behind the storm’s main line.
Forecast models show elevated winds continuing into Thursday afternoon before gradually weakening overnight.
Storm System Continues Eastward
Meteorologists expect the storm to move further inland, bringing:
- Gusty winds across the Northern Rockies
- Blowing snow in higher elevations
- Hazardous travel conditions
- Additional power disruption in exposed valleys
Communities in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming should continue to monitor updated alerts as the system progresses.
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