SPOKANE, Wash – 10 years ago Monday, people throughout the Inland Northwest were told to shelter in place, as a dangerous windstorm was moving in.
By the time it was over, two people were dead, thousands of trees uprooted and power was out to much for the community. For some, power was not restored for several weeks.
The windstorm of 2015 brought gusts of more than 70 miles an hour. Then-Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency.
The National Weather Service called the windstorm one of the largest natural disasters in Spokane history.
Spokane Schools cancelled classes for five days. 36 schools had no power or phone service. 28 trees fell in Riverfront Park. 30 trees were lost in Comstock Park.
NWS says 238,000 people lost power. 817 of the downed trees blocked 246 miles of roads. Trees crashed into homes and cars throughout the region.
The City of Spokane estimates 1,900 trees were lost in the city limits, estimating the damage cost at $22.6 million.
The National Weather Service posted on social media Monday about the storm.
“Many of us will never forget the strong gusts, the widespread damage, and the days that followed,” NWS wrote on X/Twitter. “A decade later, we remember the incredible resilience of our community.”
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
