WA windstorm: Bomb cyclone leaves erratic path of destruction in its wake

More than 24 hours after the storm hit, line crews continue working toward restoring power for hundreds of thousands.

Over 378,000 customers in the region are still without power Wednesday evening. About 19,800 Seattle City Light and over 37,000 Snohomish County Public Utility District customers are powerless as of 9 p.m.

Puget Sound Energy reported the most outages with 321,000 impacted customers.

PSE spokesperson Gerald Tracy said it may take several days to restore power. The goal is to fix most outages by Saturday.

Jenn Strang, a spokesperson for Seattle City Light, said the remaining outages are "really complicated" and crews are working around the clock.

This storm was off the charts.

The bomb cyclone emerged from the middle of the Pacific Ocean and swirled with such intensity off Washington’s coast that it ravaged the region Tuesday night, ripping down trees, toppling power lines and killing at least two.

Each storm like this is unique — with its own personality, said Lynn McMurdie, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington.

“And this one has a lot of personality,” she said.

Read the full story here.

LAKE STEVENS — Much of the line crew drinks coffee or energy drinks to stay alert through the long nights.

But journeyman foreman Jeff Roberts has sworn off caffeine, he said Wednesday afternoon, three-quarters of the way through a 40-hour shift. He was repairing lines near Lake Stevens, after a bomb cyclone cut power for a half-million customers in Western Washington.

“We’re having fun,” Roberts said, sincerely. “We love this stuff.” 

Read the full story here.

Over 394,000 customers in the Puget Sound region were still without power Wednesday evening.

As of 7:30 p.m., Seattle City Light reported 632 outages affecting more than 20,000 customers. Puget Sound Energy reported about 1,200 outages affecting 335,370 customers. And almost 39,000 customers in Snohomish County were still without power.

In a Facebook post, Zylberschtein’s deli in North Seattle said a power outage caused by the bomb cyclone kept the business closed on Wednesday. It was the latest blow in a run of bad luck. 

“The last three weeks have been really rough for Zylberschtein’s,” the post states. “Our oven broke leading to two missed days of sales revenue and a $5k repair. The bomb cyclone last night meant another day of closure and missed revenue. We are about $20k in the hole.” 

The deli encouraged customers to buy a gift card or some frozen matzo ball soup this weekend, “asking our community to help us get thru this trying period.” 

Robert Keeney’s grandmother had a saying: “It looks like the locust flew off with a grain of corn.”

“This time,” Keeney, 76, said on Wednesday as he surveyed the devastation to his family’s 6-acre property in Bellevue, “the locust took the whole ear.”

Fir and cedar trees toppled by Tuesday night’s storm blanketed the property off 173rd Avenue Northeast that has been owned by Keeney’s family for nearly a century. Miraculously, none of the trees crashed into the house.

Not much else was spared.

Read the full story here.

Some Seattle-area school closures will extend another day as Western Washington recovers from windstorms that wrecked the region and left thousands without power.

Schools will be closed on Thursday in Issaquah, Renton, Bellevue and Shoreline.

Meanwhile, Bev Redmond, spokesperson for Seattle Public Schools, said she hopes all of the district’s schools will be fully in session Thursday. 

Read the full story here.

Covington Medical Center has begun diverting some patients to other health care facilities after having “issues connecting with staff,” said hospital spokesperson Scott Thompson.

“The power outage has made cell service spotty,” he said.

Thompson said he wasn't sure if the hospital was trying to contact additional staffers to help out or staffers with scheduled shifts. "I was on a call this morning, and things have really changed throughout the day," he said.

The center is among the hospitals and clinics throughout Western Washington that have spent much of Wednesday scrambling to balance a myriad of storm-related challenges.

Read the full story here.

Over 403,000 customers in the region are still without power Monday evening as the impacts of the bomb cyclone continue to be felt in Western Washington.

As of 6 p.m., Seattle City Light reported 636 outages affecting more than 22,000 customers. Puget Sound Energy reported nearly 1,200 outages affecting 340,266 customers. And almost 40,000 customers in Snohomish County were still without power.

About 60 people came through a makeshift warming and charging station Wednesday at Redmond City Hall, said Derek Wing, spokesperson for the city.

The building at 15670 Northeast 85th St. had folding tables and chairs for people to come work and warm up.

“We’re committed to helping our community in need,” Wing said.

People also took shelter in the nearby Redmond Senior and Community Center, 8703 160th Ave. NE.

Barbara Bryant, of Redmond, lost power around 3 p.m. Tuesday.  She came to the community center to get out of the house and warm up.

“There was nothing that we could do about (the storm or outages),” Bryant said, alongside a hallway in the senior center. “So I resolved not to get upset, to just take things as they are, try to stay warm. And that’s that.”

Jose Gonzales, of Redmond, sat outside of the King County Library’s Redmond branch Wednesday to use the Wi-Fi. His power went out around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and he needed to get some work done. The branch has been closed since the weekend for renovations, but Gonzales decided to make a “wild guess” to see if their Wi-Fi was still working.

“I face adversity very different than most people,” Gonzales said, in good spirits. “I grew up in Puerto Rico, and so we had hurricanes. I am very comfortable with managing stress and managing the environment after a natural disaster. And so I think that my tolerance and appetite to move forward might be different from other people.”

City Hall closed at 5 p.m.

Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village, 6505 176th Ave. NE, is also hosting a warming center open until 8 p.m.

The senior center was set to stay open until 9 p.m. 

The warming centers will be open Thursday as well.

All are welcome, not just Redmond residents, Wing said.

Sound Transit's 2 Line is out of service because of an issue caused by a power outage.

The Eastside light rail line service is being replaced by Link shuttle buses that will take passengers through the affected area. Sound Transit is encouraging passengers to seek alternative service options and plan for longer travel times.

Other transit options are available here.

A tornado warning has been issued, covering Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Ocean Shores until 4:45 p.m.

Kirkland has opened a charging station at North Kirkland Community Center for residents to power up small electronics and medical equipment.

The charging station will be open until 5 p.m. Wednesday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, according to the city of Kirkland. The community center will have outlets, but users should bring their own chargers and power cords. The city asks that users recharge their devices and then leave so the space can be open to everyone.

North Kirkland Community Center is located at 12421 103rd Ave. NE.

If this week's massive gusts knocked out your power and you're still waiting in the dark, local public health experts have some tips on how to keep warm and safe.

King County public health officials first generally encourage those who lose power to have a plan to go somewhere else if it gets too cold. Most libraries, malls, shopping centers and day centers are warm options for the public. King County Regional Homeless Authority will also open additional warming centers in some circumstances, though it hasn't yet activated severe weather protocols this week.

If you stay home, wear several layers of lightweight, warm clothing (including hats and mittens), rather than one layer of heavy clothing, according to Public Health — Seattle & King County. Keep your curtains drawn and cover windows and doors with blankets to trap warm air in. Everyone should also try and stay in one room, with the door closed, to conserve body heat.

If your refrigerator loses power, your food will be safe for up to four hours. If the power is out for longer than that, transfer food to a cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Make sure the temperature is 40 degrees or below, and if any food gets warmer than that, don't eat it.

And be careful to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, public health officials warned. Never use charcoal or gas grills, or propane heaters while indoors, and always follow manufacturer instructions when using power generators.

More information about dangers during a power outage is available here.

Seattle-area residents reported widespread cellular service outages for three of the major telecommunications companies — Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T — according to Downdetector.

All three companies confirmed the windstorm that swept through Western Washington on Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning interrupted service for customers.

"Verizon crews and vendors deployed as soon as it was safe to do so and will be working around the clock to restore service as quickly as possible," a Verizon spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "With power outages widespread throughout the region, some cell sites are running on backup power as designed, and refueling operations are underway to ensure those sites without commercial power remain in service for Verizon customers and first responders."

Verizon customers can check their network status here. 

AT&T and T-Mobile have also deployed generators to provide backup power for affected cell sites. In addition to generators, T-Mobile has heavy-duty mobile satellite trucks to help connect users to cellular service.

T-Mobile set up a trailer outside of its store in Bellevue's Factoria neighborhood that has free Wi-Fi and device charging for anyone.

"While power outages continue, the team is working to provide temporary coverage via generators and mobile satellite trucks where needed," T-Mobile's president of technology Ulf Ewaldsson said in a post on X. "Thinking of those who are impacted by the destruction of the storm!"

Five people were treated for storm-related injuries Wednesday at Harborview Medical Center, according to hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg.

One person remains in critical condition. The other four are in satisfactory condition, Gregg said.

Five people were also treated at the University of Washington Medical Center Northwest and another three at the hospital’s Montlake building, all of whom are in satisfactory condition.

Two huskies ran away when a tree fell and wiped out a fence in Tukwila. A great Pyrenees got spooked by the storm and fled from his home in Sammamish.  

Facebook groups and Nextdoor message boards have been filled Wednesday with residents’ posts about dogs and other pets who went missing Tuesday night as high winds blew through Western Washington.

Area animal shelters say they haven’t seen an uptick in stray animals being brought in or reported, but noted that could be because of ongoing power outages or owners using social media instead. Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), which contracts with two-dozen cities, had three dogs that appeared to have gotten out Tuesday night brought in by animal control as of 2 p.m., assistant operations manager Tim Anderson said.

RASKC recommends pet owners inspect gates and fences of damage or weak spots and look for broken boards, gap or leaning sections. Locks and latches could have loosened during a storm, so it’s important to double-check they are secure.

Tuesdays’ windstorm that left half a million people without power and caused dozens of school districts to close also closed all of YMCA’s Early Education Centers.

The following YMCA’s are still open and operating on schedule: Auburn Valley YMCA, Bellevue Family YMCA, Dale Turner Family YMCA, Downtown Seattle YMCA, Matt Griffin YMCA, University Family YMCA and West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.

Closed all day Wednesday: Coal Creek Family YMCA, Kent YMCA, Northshore YMCA, ​​​​​​​Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA and Sammamish Community YMCA. The Snoqualmie Valley YMCA closed at noon for the remainder of the day.

Before and after school enrichment programs at the following schools and districts are closed: Highline School District, Lake Washington School District, Kent School District, Snoqualmie School District, Northshore School District and Shoreline School District. Edmonds School District morning care started at 9 a.m.

Seattle Public Schools closed after school programs at Rainier View Elementary School and Magnuson Park Elementary School.

For updates from the YMCA check here: https://www.seattleymca.org/support/weather-updates.

Rocks and mud on Highway 112 have cut off access to Neah Bay, the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula. Clallam County Public Utility District reported this morning on X that the entire community is without power, but that crews must wade through downed trees and mudslides before working to restore service.

Former Makah tribal vice chairman Patrick DePoe said via phone from Neah Bay that the Washington State Department of Transportation and county crews are working on scene. Geotechnical engineers inspected the site this morning for stability and crews anticipate clearing one highway lane later this afternoon, he added.

Only emergency vehicles, stranded community members returning home and critical supply deliveries, all with a vehicle escort, will be allowed through.

High winds and storm surge battered the coast but did not damage any buildings. The Makah Reservation's community gym, which was designed to double as a shelter during emergencies, is open with diesel generator power. Tribal members can stay warm, charge devices and access the facility's kitchen to cook meals.

"We have a really advanced emergency management team because we’ve been preparing for tsunamis and landslides for years," former Makah Chairman Micah McCarty said via phone from Olympia. "We’re used to this kind of thing, it's kind of like muscle memory."

Power is out at the Burien Community Center and all classes and programs scheduled for Wednesday were canceled, including after-school programs.

Burien City Hall remains open, but the Burien Library, downstairs in the same building, is closed.

"Our public works and parks maintenance crews were out until midnight and back at it again around 5:30 a.m. today to clear debris and fallen trees from streets, sidewalks, and parks," Devin Chicras, a city spokesperson, wrote in an email.

Redmond has opened three city buildings as warming centers for residents who have lost power and heat.

Redmond City Hall is open until 5 p.m., Redmond Senior & Community Center is open until 9 p.m. and Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village is open until 8 p.m.

Residents can also use the warming centers to charge phones and other electronic devices.

The Redmond Pool, Farrel-McWhirter Park, Old Fire House Teen Center, Old Redmond Schoolhouse and Idylwood Park are all closed due to power outages.

City crews have and continue to work on more than 50 active responses to road closures and downed trees, said Derek Wing, a city spokesperson.

"We anticipate having crews on 24-hour operations until everything is clear," Wing wrote in an email.

All five Hopelink service centers — which operate free food markets in Bellevue, Carnation, Kirkland, Redmond and Shoreline — were closed Wednesday, said spokesperson Cade Schmidt. It’s mobile market, a truck that delivers boxes of groceries throughout East King County, is also down.

School closures, power outages and heavy debris on roads have left the organization short-staffed, Schmidt said. Hopelink hopes to reopen its locations “as soon as we can,” he said.

“What we’re worried about is a lot of people are going to lose their perishable goods,” Schmidt said. “We’re expecting whenever we’re able to reopen the markets, we’re going to get pretty big traffic.”

November and December are some of the busiest months for Hopelink, as rising energy bills and the holidays financially squeeze low-income families. With the storm, “it’s kind of a double whammy for us.”

Service for the Port Townsend/Coupeville route will return Wednesday afternoon with the 2 p.m. Port Townsend sailing, according to Washington State Ferries.

The Port Townsend 9:30 a.m. and Coupeville 10:15 a.m. sailings were canceled because of weather. The state agency hasd warned passengers that high winds may force trips on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route to be canceled throughout the day.

Dana Warr, a WSF spokesperson, said other than those cancellations, everywhere else was sailing smoothly.

“Otherwise it looks like everything else is on schedule,” Warr said.

Read here to learn more about the windstorm's impact on regional transit services.

Eastside Fire and Rescue responded to three generator-related fires Wednesday morning.

Generators should be kept and fueled outside, not in homes, the agency said on X.

The agency also said people should turn their generator off and let it cool down before refueling it.

More than a half-million customers in the region were without power for most of Tuesday night.

As of 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, more than 374,900 Puget Sound Energy customers remained in the dark, down from about 382,000 at noon and about 474,000 at 1 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 33,436 customers without power by 1:25 p.m. Wednesday. Some 112,600 customers were without power late Tuesday.

Crews with the Snohomish County Public Utility District were also working to get customers back online. Outages dropped from a peak of 135,000 at around midnight to about 73,000 by 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, then down to 49,366 by 1:25 p.m.

Agencies expect restoration efforts could take several days.

Seattle Parks and Recreation operates several community centers and youth programs that are currently closed due to power outages. The department is sharing its storm updates via Instagram.

The Bitter Lake and Meadowbrook community centers are closed today, including the Seattle Preschool Program which operates at both sites. The Meadowbrook Teen Life Center is also closed. The Meadowbrook free shower program, which typically runs there from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will be held at Green Lake Community Center today.

James Baldwin Community Center and Discovery Park Visitor Center are also closed today because of outages.

The parking lot at Evans Pool was closed earlier today due to a downed tree. The lot is expected to reopen at 3 p.m.

Seattle Parks and Recreation asks patrons to avoid forested park areas during high winds and to use caution when using park trails during wet weather conditions. Anyone who spots downed trees or maintenance issues at city parks can report the issue using the Find It, Fix It app or by calling the 24-hour maintenance request line at 206-684-7250.

With hundreds of thousands affected by power outages across Western Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to treat dark-signaled intersections as all-way stops.

All Tukwila schools were closed Wednesday as a result of the windstorm. The city's community center was closed in the morning, but has reopened.

The power went out at the Tukwila Justice Center, which houses the Police Department and courtrooms, but the building continued operating thanks to an emergency generator.

The city-owned Foster Golf Links was closed due to fallen tree limbs and other debris.

"City crews have been busy getting streets, parks and trails cleaned up," Brandon Miles, a city spokesperson wrote in an email.

All southbound lanes of Interstate 5 south of Ashland, Oregon, are closed to motor vehicles Wednesday due to a strong blizzard dumping snow and creating whiteout conditions in the higher elevations.

Vehicles are being held near Ashland at milepost 11 until officials determine the freeway is safe for travel. The Oregon Department of Transportation expects this to be a long-term closure, according to the notice on TripCheck.com. California’s Caltrans offers I-5 status updates, too.

Read the full story here.

Sammamish City Hall is open as a warming center until 5 p.m., spokesperson Angie Millar said.

An earlier message from the city said City Hall would be closed Wednesday, and that still applies for regular services like permits and passport photos.

All Sammamish parks are closed Wednesday, and a Thursday evening concert at Beaver Lake Lodge has been canceled.

"Like our neighbors, Sammamish was hit hard by the bomb cyclone last night," Millar wrote in an email. "Our crews were out all night as conditions allowed to clear debris from roads and assist emergency personnel as needed. They are currently clearing priority routes as there are many road closures due to downed trees and power lines throughout the city."

Sammamish is encouraging residents to shelter in place, Millar added. All traffic lights are in four-way stop mode, she said. Residents can watch for updates on the city's social media channels.

Recovery work is proceeding in Enumclaw despite widespread power outages and an internet outage affecting the city's operations.

"Our main issue is that our Internet and backup Internet are down, which means our phones are down," city administrator Chris Searcy wrote in an email he said he had "composed on a cell phone as a workaround."

Still, workers are clearing trees and limbs to open Enumclaw's streets and the city is otherwise functioning as normal.

"Residents seem quite busy today with the good weather out in their yards cleaning up," Searcy wrote.

"Really we are just waiting for power to be restored. Most businesses are closed today due to the lack of power, including fueling stations."

Amtrak said in an online advisory Train 11 between Seattle and Oakland, Calif., and Train 14 between Oakland and Seattle on its Coast Starlight route are canceled Wednesday.

On the Empire Builder route, Train 8 between Seattle and Spokane and Train 28 between Portland and Spokane are canceled Wednesday and Thursday.

Alternate transportation will not be available, the advisory said.

Amtrak will waive additional charges for travelers seeking to change their reservation due to the cancellations; customers looking to do so should call Amtrak's reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

A number of roads are closed Wednesday due to downed trees or power lines in Auburn, where tens of thousands of people lost power during the storm.

The city is sharing information about road closures on Facebook. They impact parts of Mountain View Drive; Oravetz Road Southeast; Auburn Way North; F Street Southeast; 112th Avenue Southeast; 129th Street Southeast; and D Street Southeast.

Traffic signals at some intersections are running on battery power and could at some point go dark, city spokesperson Jonathan Glover said. If that happens, they should be treated as four-way stops, he said.

T-Mobile’s Bellevue headquarters along Interstate 90 were shut down because of power outages Wednesday morning, after a windstorm hammered the region overnight.

“For now we’re encouraging employees to stay safe and work from other locations until we have updates on restoration,” T-Mobile spokesperson Brandy Sloan said in an emailed statement.

Read the full story here.

More Seattle homes were without power during the peak of the windstorm than at any time in nearly 20 years, a city spokesperson said.

At the peak, on Tuesday night, 114,000 Seattle City Light customers were without power, Callie Craighead, a spokesperson for Mayor Bruce Harrell said. That's the most customers without power since the 2006 Hanukkah Eve windstorm, which killed 14 people.

As of 11:30 a.m., about 40,000 Seattle City Light customers remained without power.

"Restoring power to the remaining customers will depend on the severity of the damage," Craighead said. "City Light is currently assessing the electrical system and working to safely restore service as quickly as possible."

Read the full story here.

More than a half-million customers in the region were without power for most of Tuesday night.

As of noon Wednesday, more than 382,000 Puget Sound Energy customers remained in the dark, down from about 386,300 at 11:10 a.m. and about 474,000 at 1 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 38,271 customers without power by noon Wednesday. Some 112,600 customers were without power late Tuesday.

Crews with the Snohomish County Public Utility District were also working to get customers back online. Outages dropped from a peak of 135,000 at around midnight to about 73,000 by 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, then down to 52,786 by noon.

Agencies expect restoration efforts could take several days.

Providence Swedish has closed three of its primary care clinics due to power outages and road closures.

The hospital system's Klahanie, Pine Lake and Mercer Island clinics halted operations around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The rest of the day's appointments will be rescheduled, Providence Swedish said on its website.

Appointments will also likely be rescheduled at Swedish Issaquah's primary care, pediatrics, neuroscience, and OB-GYN and midwifery clinics.

Read more about storm-related hospital closures and delays around Western Washington.

Federal Way roads "are overall in good condition" after the windstorm, city spokesperson Ben Miller said late Wednesday morning.

"We had crews out throughout the night dealing with downed tree limbs but found nothing significant on the roads," Miller wrote in an email.

Crews will spend the next two days cleaning up debris, "but there are no impacts to traffic and being able to get around the city," other than some street light outages, Miller added.

About 6,000 Federal Way households still lack power from Puget Sound Energy, with restoration estimates on the way, Miller said.

Several hospitals and clinics throughout Western Washington are scrambling to close facilities and reschedule appointments as the region responds to ongoing windstorm damage.

UW Medical Center Northwest lost power and is operating on emergency power. Outpatient clinics remain open and inpatients are continuing to receive care. People who have non-urgent procedures are being asked to reschedule. UW Medical Center Montlake, Harborview and Valley Medical Center are operating as usual.

Others hospitals, like Olympic Heritage behavioral health hospital in Tukwila, are also using a backup generator. Meanwhile, Western State Hospital didn’t lose power overnight. Providence Swedish hospitals and clinics have not reported any storm-related impacts.

Read the full story here.

All King County Library System locations are closed Wednesday after Tuesday's windstorm.

Many of Seattle Public Library's branches remain open, although SPL is still assessing the impact of the storm.

Find library hours for KCLS and SPL.

Sammamish's City Hall and other public facilities, including all of the city's parks, are closed Wednesday as crews clear debris from the windstorm.

"We encourage everyone to stay at home, shelter in place, until the roads are safe," the city said in a message on its website.

Puget Sound Energy is responsible for repairing power lines in Sammamish, the messaged noted.

If you come across a downed utility wire of any kind, assume it's energized and stay as far away as you can, Puget Sound Energy said online.

Energized lines can charge the ground near the point of contact and may electrocute you.

If you come across a downed line while walking, it's best to shuffle away to safety by keeping your feet together and taking small steps until you're at least 35 feet away, the agency advised.

If you're in a car, stay in your car. Do not drive over the downed lines, as they can get entangled with your vehicle.

Call 911 or the utility serving the location. If it's Puget Sound Energy, call 888-225-5773.

Both directions of Highway 18 between I-90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road have reopened, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Shoreline still had many areas without power late Wednesday morning, mostly west of Aurora Avenue North, and about 18 traffic lights were out as of 11 a.m.

The city is in contact with Seattle City Light and the Washington State Department of Transportation to resolve those issues, Shoreline spokesperson Eric Bratton said. City crews worked through the night clearing trees that were blocking roads, he said. Intersections where traffic signals aren't working should be treated by everyone as four-way stops, Bratton said.

Shoreline City Hall and Spartan Recreation Center were open on Wednesday, and Shoreline School District schools were closed.

More than a half-million customers in the region were without power for most of Tuesday night.

As of 11:10 a.m. Wednesday, more than 386,300 Puget Sound Energy customers remained in the dark, down from about 388,200 at 10 a.m. and about 474,000 at 1 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 42,797 customers without power by 11:10 a.m. Wednesday. Some 112,600 customers were without power late Tuesday.

Crews with the Snohomish County Public Utility District were also working to get customers back online. Outages dropped from a peak of 135,000 at around midnight to about 73,000 by 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, then down to 56,611 by 11 a.m.

Agencies expect restorations efforts could take several days.

The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is closed to the public due to the windstorm, with officials reporting power outages in the Hoh, Kalaloch and Quinault areas.

“As of right now folks are working to clear downed trees and restore power. We're hoping to reopen Hoh as soon as we can restore power," said park spokesperson Molly Pittman.

Park officials preventively closed several roads and trailheads on Monday and Tuesday before the storm, she added. Rangers are out today conducting assessments of potential damage to park facilities.

The closures include Sol Duc Road, Upper Hoh Road, Hoko-Ozette Road, Mora Road, Lower Queets Road, Upper Queets Road, Graves Creek Road and North Fork Quinault Road. Hurricane Ridge received heavy snow and is expected to remain closed through Thanksgiving before opening for seasonal winter operations on Nov. 29.

Phone lines and power are down at Kalaloch Lodge on the Olympic coast, according to the lodge's call center. Lake Crescent Lodge still has phone service. A front desk clerk at the Lake Quinault Lodge said the power is out but the hotel has backup generators and remains open for business.

Road closures and power outages are affecting Woodinville, where City Hall is open Wednesday as a warming and electronics-charging center.

Work crews are working to clear debris from roads and restore services. The city is providing updates on its website, which lists road closures.

City Hall will remain open until at least 5 p.m., and possibly longer, spokesperson Kevin O'Neill said.

Since Tuesday at 3 p.m., the Seattle Fire Department responded to 49 rescue elevator calls and 29 downed wire calls.

People should not touch or drive over downed wires, whether it appears energized or not. Utility companies recommend staying at least 35 feet away from a downed wire, and call 911 or the utility district immediately.

Seattle fire spokesperson David Cuerpo said no injuries were reported due to the rescue elevator calls or downed wires on Tuesday night.

The North Bend and Hoquiam Department of Licensing offices are closed Wednesday.

Drivers can reschedule services at dol.wa.gov

Offices in Federal Way, Kent, Lakewood, Parkland, Seattle's Queen Anne, Redmond, Shoreline, Tukwila, and West Seattle have opened after a delayed start.

While hundreds of thousands of people have been dealing with power outages, the local criminal justice system has continued operating relatively normally.

Representatives with King County's Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, the King County Superior Court and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington said they are up and running.

King County has activated its Emergency Operations Center to assess and coordinate emergency response throughout the region.

The county's departments of Local Services and Natural Resources and Parks are doing initial damage assessments, spokesperson Sheri Badger said.

The county said hundreds of road crew workers are working to clear roadways, prioritizing roads used by emergency services and those near important facilities, like hospitals.

King County District Court locations in Bellevue and Issaquah are closed Wednesday, but all other district court locations are operating normally.

Seattle Public Library continues to assess the impact of Tuesday's windstorm on its operations.

Many of SPL's branches are open, but library staff encourages patrons to check for updates at spl.org/today for any potential schedule changes.

Some branches don't open until noon Wednesday, and SPL is assessing whether those were affected by the windstorm, SPL spokesperson Laura Gentry said via email.

In branches that are open, "we welcome everyone in to stay warm, charge your phones, enjoy our spaces, use our services and check out materials, as always," spokesperson Elisa Murray said via email.

Library hours and sites can be found at spl.org/hours-and-locations.

All King County wastewater treatment facilities operated without disruption to any service throughout Tuesday's storm and overnight, according to Akiko Oda, a spokesperson for the King County Department of Natural Resources and Park's wastewater treatment division.

Oda said currently 22 pump stations are operating on generators and crews are working on clearing downed trees near facilities.

If your home was damaged by the storm, your standard home, business and auto insurance may cover the repairs, according to the industry group Northwest Insurance Council.

Wind damage is typically covered under standard homeowners and business insurance. Removal of trees that have fallen on buildings is also usually covered, according to the council. Policies typically cover "reasonable temporary repairs" to prevent further damage to the building. Those making the repairs should keep their receipts, according to the council.

Policies also typically cover costs for additional living expenses like temporary housing and extra food if you are unable to occupy your primary residence due to storm damage. Damage to your vehicle caused by wind, falling trees, flood and landslide may also be covered if you have "collision or comprehensive coverage."

Renton is dealing with three full road closures as city crews work to clean up after the storm.

The closures: 164th Avenue Southeast, due to a downed power line and poles; Lind Avenue Southwest, which will likely remain closed all day, and Oakesdale Avenue Southwest, which could open later Wednesday.

The Don Persson Senior Activity Center has no power and is closed Wednesday. There is a large downed tree on the grounds of the Renton Community Center, but it remains open.

The city had four separate public works crews working overnight and through the morning, using backhoes and dump trucks to clear debris, city spokesperson Laura Pettitt said.

"Response is quick, focused on maintaining traffic flow and addressing issues," Pettitt said.

Seattle-area weather radio KHB60 (162.550) and the Puget Sound marine transmitter WWG24 (162.425) are temporarily off air, according to the National Weather Service Seattle.

Technicians were unable to reach the transmitter on Cougar Mountain near Issaquah Wednesday morning because of fallen trees and power lines, despite bringing chain saws, the weather service said on X.

Weather radio broadcasts local forecasts every four to six minutes and sends out alerts to warn the public of potentially life-threatening conditions, according to the NWS.

The debris covering the roads presented "an immediate safety danger," NWS Seattle said.

The USDA publishes guidance for food safety during emergencies noting that refrigerators can keep food safe for up to 4 hours after a power outage.

Some quick tips:

• When in doubt, throw it out.
• Keep the fridge door closed. 
• Never taste food to determine if it’s safe; power-outage shelf life varies for different foods.
• Perishables like meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers should be tossed after 4 hours without power — or even less time.
• For instance, meat, seafood and soy meat substitutes should be discarded after being exposed to temperatures of 40 degrees or higher for more than two hours.

For a full chart, see foodsafety.gov.

Read here for more power outage tips.

In Issaquah, which like so many communities is dealing with widespread power outages, many traffic signals are out and the city is asking people to leave roads open for emergency vehicles and first responders.

The city's community center, public pool and senior center are all closed Wednesday and all classes at recreation centers have been canceled.

Southeast Newport Way is fully closed as are a smattering of streets around downtown Issaquah.

"City staff have been working through the night to clear roadways for first responders and assess damage throughout the city," said Thomas Ruah, a city spokesperson. "That work is still ongoing, so we don’t have any estimates yet for damages."

Snoqualmie Pass received more than a foot of snow Tuesday night, the Washington State Department of Transportation said on X. The department reminded drivers to slow down and follow traction tire requirements.

A crew cleans up the remains of downed trees near the Renton Community Center, after a massive windstorm brought strong gusts to Western Washington on Tuesday night.

Windstorm and resulting power outages have postponed King County inquest proceedings looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of Anthony Chilcott, a Black Diamond man killed by undercover sheriff's deputies on Nov. 25, 2019.

Cameron Satterfield, King County department of executive services spokesperson, said the six-member jury will resume hearing testimony on Thursday.

The windstorm pummeled the region’s public transportation systems Tuesday night, but they have largely recovered for Wednesday’s commute.

Some early morning bus lines were canceled, a ferry route is down, and a light rail station remains without power, but otherwise the agencies are operating normally.

Read the full story here.

More than a half-million customers in the region were without power for most of Tuesday night.

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, more than 388,200 Puget Sound Energy customers remained in the dark, down from about 393,700 at 8 a.m. and about 474,000 at 1 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 37,767 customers without power by 10 a.m. Wednesday, down from about 51,000 at 8 a.m. Some 112,600 customers were without power late Tuesday.

Crews with the Snohomish County Public Utility District were also working to get customers back online. Outages dropped from a peak of 135,000 at around midnight to about 73,000 by 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, then down to 56,783 by 10 a.m.

Agencies expect restorations efforts could take several days.

To avoid deadly carbon-monoxide poisoning during a power outage, follow these important tips.

Read the multi-language guide here.

As Western Washington wakes up to the aftermath of Tuesday's bomb cyclone, we're looking for your help. Let us know what's happening near you by sending us your photos, videos and news tips of downed trees, power lines, storm debris and more (if it's safe to do so).

Fill out the short form below with your photos, news tips and storm questions.

As of Wednesday morning, Olympic Heritage behavioral health hospital in Tukwila is using a backup generator. Western State Hospital did not lose power overnight.

High winds tore through Western Washington in one of the strongest windstorms recorded in recent years Tuesday night, with more expected through early Wednesday.

After peaking at 1 a.m., winds significantly dropped off by 4 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

All wind warnings and advisories have ended, NWS said.

Read the full story here.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson said about 8 a.m. Wednesday that 32 downed trees on highways had been reported, "but this is only a fraction of what actually happened," he said on X. Eleven crashes involving cars and trees had been reported, he said.

All King County Library locations will open two hours late Wednesday as the system assesses the impact of Tuesday's windstorm.

Libraries across the county are experiencing power outages, according to the system.

Click here to stay updated on library hours.

Washington State Department of Transportation is warning of "lengthy" closures on several highways as Western Washington recovers from one of the strongest windstorms the region has seen in recent years.

Highway 164 is blocked at Southeast 368th Place near Auburn due to fallen trees and downed power lines.

Highway 18 is closed between Interstate 90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road. WSDOT advises freight traffic should not use Issaquah-Hobart Road or city streets.

Highway 169 is closed between Southeast Jones Road and Highway 18, with more locations closed north and south of Maple Valley.

Commuters can also check kingcounty.gov/mycommute for updates on closed roads in King County.

More than a half-million customers in the region were without power for most of Tuesday night.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, more than 393,700 Puget Sound Energy customers remained in the dark, down from about 474,000 at 1 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 112,600 customers without power late Tuesday, though that dropped to about 51,000 by 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Crews with the Snohomish County Public Utility District were also working to get customers back online. Outages dropped from a peak of 135,000 at around midnight to about 73,000 by 7:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Agencies expect restorations efforts could take several days.

As dawn breaks Wednesday, numerous schools across the Puget Sound region will start late or close entirely after the overnight windstorm.

In Seattle, the following public schools are closed: James Baldwin Elementary, Cedar Park Elementary, Decatur Elementary, Hazel Wolf K-8, Jane Addams Middle Schools, Middle College (North Seattle College), Nathan Hale High School, Olympic Hills Elementary, Rainier View Elementary, Sacajewea Elementary, Sanislo Elementary, Thornton Creek Elementary, View Ridge Elementary and Wedgwood Elementary.

The rest of the district's schools remain open. 

Read here for more information on school closures and delays across the region.

The Bellevue Fire Department reported that a woman in the Bridle Trails area had been killed at about 7 p.m. Tuesday by a tree that fell on a home. In a post on X, the department said the woman's husband called emergency responders and was taken to safety.

As of Wednesday morning, this marks the second reported fatality in the greater Seattle area due to the storm. A woman in her 50s was also killed in Lynnwood when a tree fell on a homeless encampment.

Those trying to bicycle to work Wednesday via the Burke-Gilman Trail might be in for a tricky commute. In Lake Forest Park, branches, leaves, pinecones and other woody debris were strewn across the path like little traps, and at least a couple of trees snapped, creating twiggy barriers that one would have to high step over.

Winds across Western Washington have "eased dramatically" since 1 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

All of the region's wind warnings and advisories have ended.

Winds will continue to wane Wednesday morning as the cyclone drifts away from the Washington coast.

A buoy off the coast of Vancouver Island reported a gust of 101 mph at 6 p.m. Tuesday, marking the storm's peak wind, according to the weather service.

On land, peak wind gusts Tuesday night ranged from 77 mph on Mount Rainier to 55 mph at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A tree fell on a King County Metro bus in North Seattle during Tuesday night's windstorm.

The "very large tree" fell on the bus near 35th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 95th Street, according to agency spokesperson Jeff Switzer.

"The driver was shaken by the incident, but not injured," Switzer said.

No injuries were reported. King County Metro is working to confirm that there were no passengers on board.

Crews are working to remove the tree "as quickly and safely as possible so we can tow the bus back to the base," Switzer said.

The power around the intersection went out at 6:18 p.m. Tuesday and remains out Wednesday morning, according to Seattle City Light's outage map.

Sound Transit will delay the start of the Link light rail service Wednesday morning to allow overnight crews to clear tracks of storm debris.

Riders should expect a two-hour delay with service expected to start at 7 a.m., according to spokesperson John Gallagher.

He said crews will inspect systems before opening for service and advised riders follow service alerts for the latest information.