As Avista announced additional crews arriving in the region from Montana and Portland, the National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook warning of single-digit wind chill possible for Tuesday night.
On Sunday, all of the area power companies announced significant improvements in the number of people without power after the Nov. 17 windstorm blew down hundreds of power poles and lines. Vera Water and Power reported only 300 customers without power, and Kootenai Electric hoped to bring electricity back to 1200 customers in the next day.
Approximately 40,000 Avista customers remain without power as of Sunday afternoon, and most of those still affected are on Spokane's South Hill.
Avista says the crews face significant challenges in getting the rest of the repairs made. For example, they need to hand-carry some materials to back yards and other sites not accessible by heavy equipment. Much of the South Hill sits on basalt rock and installing new poles there means time-consuming rock drilling. Hillside slopes add to the difficulty.
More than 650 workers are on the job -- almost five times the usual Avista crew size. But even with the increased help, the power company estimates most customers won't have power restored until Wednesday evening.
Another problem for customers is possible damage to the actual equipment that connects homes to the power grid. The high winds or debris may have damaged the mast that rises above the roof. Meters also could have pulled away slightly from the wall of the residence. Anyone who suspects their mast or meter needs repair should contact the power company to make sure service is turned off before an electrician can make the necessary repairs.
Cold Nights
Overnight temperatures make the delays uncomfortable for most, dangerous to many. Sunday night the low was expected to get down to 24 degrees. Monday night the weather is expected to turn wet with the temperature hovering near the freezing mark.
The National Weather Service predicts a cold front the rest of the week, with wind chill factors making the air feel like the single digits. The wind gusts won't be near the 70-miles-an-hour from the storm that caused all the damage, but the added cold is cause for alarm.
Warming Centers
Several agencies have opened their doors overnight to those without power, but many of them have been underutilized. The Salvation Army Warming Center on E. Indiana near Division has capacity for more than 100 people, but hasn't seen more than 60 in one night. A list of available nighttime warming centers is on the SPR emergency information page.