At least 3 dead, thousands powerless as fierce winds lash Washington state

SPOKANE, Wash. — A fierce windstorm blew through Washington late Tuesday, leaving at least three people dead and downing trees and power lines, leaving more than a quarter of a million customers without power.

Wind gusts of 60 mph whipped across the state; a gust of 137 mph was reported at the Mission Ridge Ski Area in central Washington, according to the National Weather Service.

The utility company Avista Corp. reported Wednesday morning that more than 100,000 customers were without power in the Spokane area. County Emergency Management officials asked people to shelter in place during the storm.Puget Sound Energy reported Wednesday morning that over 170,000 customers were without power in its Western Washington region as trees toppled onto roadways and power lines.

Fire officials in Spokane said a falling tree struck and killed a 50-year-old woman. Fire crews responded, but could not resuscitate her. Another woman was killed when a tree fell on her car in the Spokane area.

In Western Washington, a man in his mid-20s was killed when a tree crushed his car as he was driving near Sultan in Snohomish County.

In Shoreline, Wash., north of Seattle, a tree hit a Metro bus, injuring the driver. The driver was the only person on board. Trees crashed into homes in Port Orchard and Bremerton; no one was injured in either instance.

The weather service issued a windstorm warning that began noon Tuesday and ran until midnight for most of Eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

The weather service said a Pacific storm system was arriving Tuesday afternoon, with sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph in certain areas, including Spokane. The Inland Northwest saw severe weather that delayed flights, cut power and ripped a roof from a building.

The state Department of Transportation shut down Interstate 90 between George and Vantage due to a dust storm.

Officials in Grant County said a slew of semi trucks were tipped over and there were multiple crashes near Moses Lake.

An electrical power failure at a Tacoma sewer treatment plant resulted in waste water sewage discharging for a short time into the lower Puyallup River. Two mudslides were blocking Highway 2 between Skykomish and Deception Falls, the state Department of Transportation said.

Contributing: The Associated Press; KING-TV, Seattle