Electrical transformers dangle from powerlines on Saturday after a power pole was snapped by a toppled tree along Gilbert Road near Carlsborg. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Electrical transformers dangle from powerlines on Saturday after a power pole was snapped by a toppled tree along Gilbert Road near Carlsborg. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Outages shrink on Peninsula; repairs continue

Most regain power, but some without heat until Monday or Tuesday

Crews working overnight Friday and Saturday had whittled down the massive power outage to more than 22,000 people caused by gale-force winds overnight Friday to about 3,000 public utility customers by Sunday afternoon.

But full restoration of power is not expected until today in Clallam County and perhaps as late as Tuesday in East Jefferson County, said spokespeople for public utility districts.

Clallam County outages were down to 1,100 by 4:40 p.m. Sunday. In Jefferson County, about 1,870 were without power at that time.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The county’s six crews “are working on the last major ones” — Rhoderfer and West Sequim Bay, Lost Mountain and Fish Hatchery, Laird’s Corner, north Sequim and the Deer Park area — and then will go after the smaller outages, said Nicole Hartman, spokesperson for the Clallam County PUD.

Outages are scattered all over the county but are especially concentrated in the Port Angeles-Sequim area.

“It’s odd. It’s usually the West End” that is hit hardest during a wind storm, Hartman said on Saturday, but this time only two outages were reported early Saturday morning in the western portion of the county.

In East Jefferson County, electrical power had been restored by 3 p.m. Sunday to Discovery Bay, Gardiner, Paradise Bay, Thorndyke and part of Irondale. By 5 p.m., most of Port Ludlow was back up.

But crews were still working on restoring power to Chimacum and Center Road toward Quilcene, said Will O’Donnell, spokesperson for Jefferson County PUD.

The pole broken by the fall of 100-foot-tall Douglas fir had been repaired, but so much debris remained on lines that feeders couldn’t be energized, O’Donnell said.

Crews hope to have the problem fixed later Sunday night, he said.

But they don’t expect to be completely finished until Tuesday, he said.

The continued power outages are occurring as the National Weather Service forecasts lows that dip below freezing over the next few days.

“It is going to get really cold,” Hartman said.

O’Donnell urged “those in smaller remote areas, with the temperatures dropping, take the steps necessary to stay warm, stay safe.”

Warming centers have been announced in Sequim and Port Angeles.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 N. Fifth Ave. in Sequim, is open on nights when the temperature dips to 35 degrees Fahrenheit and colder from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Call 360-301-9350 for more information.

The Port Angeles Serenity House Shelter, at 2321 W. 18th Street, is open 24/7 for adults 18 and older. The pickup location is Gateway Transit Center, 125 E. Front St. Call 360-452-7221 if you are awaiting pickup.

The powerful storm that blew across the region overnight Friday had wind gusts of up to 45 mph.

Jefferson County PUD reported 12,310 customers lost power while Clallam County PUD reported about 8,000 outages at the storm’s peak.

Some 2,100 customers within the City of Port Angeles who lost power had it restored by early Saturday morning, most by about 3 a.m., said Mike Healy, interim Public Works director.

Both counties reported multiple locations with significant damage and new outages popping up on Saturday.

The state Department of Transportation reported trees falling over roads throughout the region.

The big blow was caused by a strong cold front moving through the area, according to Steve Reedy, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.

Wind gusts ranged from 30 mph to 45 mph and were strongest in the Port Angeles-Sequim area, he said.

In East Jefferson County, gusts ranged from 30 mph to 40 mph, Reedy said.

“We’re in between systems now,” Reedy said Saturday.

Rain and cold remain in the forecast, but wind speeds are expected to stay between 5 and 15 mph.

The Seattle Times reported Saturday that some 250,000 to 300,000 customers in Western Washington lost power in the storm.

________

Executive Editor Leah Leach can be contacted at 360-417-3530 or lleach@soundpublishing.com.

A gigantic puddle covers much of the south parking lot at John Wayne Marina in Sequim on Saturday morning, the result of heavy rains from an autumn storm. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

A gigantic puddle covers much of the south parking lot at John Wayne Marina in Sequim on Saturday morning, the result of heavy rains from an autumn storm. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Butch Kinkade, a resort host at John Wayne Waterfront Resort in Sequim, cuts up a large tree limb that crashed to the ground during Friday night’s windstorm. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Butch Kinkade, a resort host at John Wayne Waterfront Resort in Sequim, cuts up a large tree limb that crashed to the ground during Friday night’s windstorm. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

A line crew from Clallam PUD works to repair a powerline along U.S. Highway 101 west of Barr Road on Saturday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

A line crew from Clallam PUD works to repair a powerline along U.S. Highway 101 west of Barr Road on Saturday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Cedar Street Saturday morning after the windstorm (Paul Gottlieb/For Peninsula Daily News)

Cedar Street Saturday morning after the windstorm (Paul Gottlieb/For Peninsula Daily News)

A portion of state Highway 20 in Port Townsend was closed on Saturday due to strong winds overnight Friday, blowing down trees to rest on communication lines owned by CenturyLink. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)

A portion of state Highway 20 in Port Townsend was closed on Saturday due to strong winds overnight Friday, blowing down trees to rest on communication lines owned by CenturyLink. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)

A 100-foot-tall Douglas fir that fell during the storm resulted in power outages for Jefferson County Public Utility District customers served by substations in Chimacum and Port Ludlow. (Will O’Donnell/Jefferson Public Utility District)

A 100-foot-tall Douglas fir that fell during the storm resulted in power outages for Jefferson County Public Utility District customers served by substations in Chimacum and Port Ludlow. (Will O’Donnell/Jefferson Public Utility District)

More in News

John and Deb Wallace of Sequim hold welcome signs for Canadian passengers disembarking the Coho ferry upon the resumption of daily service between Victoria and Port Angeles on Thursday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Signs signal support for Canadian travelers

Crowd welcomes return of Coho ferry passengers

State now managing operations at Fort Worden

Subtenants will be on short-term leases

Consultant: Positive responses for possible hospital merger

Evaluation process to continue over next three months

Jefferson County sheriff to be appointed Monday

Three candidates to be interviewed by commissioners

Forum to highlight potential hospital partnership

The Clallam County Democrats will host a forum on… Continue reading

Jefferson Aquatic Coalition to host community meetings

The Jefferson Aquatic Coalition will host community meetings regarding… Continue reading

Maritime Festival set for June 7-8

The Port of Port Angeles will hold its Maritime… Continue reading

Shannon Story of Port Angeles, an employee of ACI construction in Tacoma, directs traffic on Water Street in Port Townsend on Wednesday as heavy equipment is jostled around the job site. The company is replacing a 100-year-old sewer pipeline with larger and stronger materials. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Sewer replacement

Shannon Story of Port Angeles, an employee of ACI construction in Tacoma,… Continue reading

Jefferson closer to facilities district

Public hearing could take place March 10

Federal, state cuts could have impact at Clallam Transit

General manager says agency has ‘good reserve’

Three fish passage projects to impact traffic

WSDOT says there will be an 80-day detour

Firefighters extinguish porch fire in Port Angeles

A back porch of a Port Angeles home caught… Continue reading