Crews prepare for power outages in early winter storm, followed by bitter cold

Plows and sanding trucks stand at the ready. Avista crews have fueled and stocked fleet vehicles.

Friday will bring an early snow storm, and afterward, it could cut power for some homes and temperatures will drop, said meteorologist Steve Bodnar with the National Weather Service in Spokane.

Most of Spokane can expect 1 to 3 inches of snow accumulation Friday, with closer to 6 inches in higher elevation areas like the South Hill, Bodnar said.

Heavy, wet snow could collect on trees still full of foliage and snap branches, potentially leading to mass power outages. A snow storm this time last year cut power to tens of thousands of homes.

Complicating matters if power goes out, the snow storm Friday will be closely followed by bitterly cold temperatures.

On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, predictions include lows in the teens and possibly single digits, Bodnar said.

In preparation, Avista fleets are ready, warehouse supplies are in place in Spokane and outer offices and assessment teams are standing by, according to a Thursday news release. Wire guard teams that make areas near downed power lines safer are also ready, as are tree crews, the release said.

While road crews have been busy finishing fall maintenance projects like sweeping, grading and ditch-cleaning, they have also prepped plows and sanding trucks for the first snowfall, according to a county news release.

In the case of a power outage, residents can use towels to block drafts underneath doors.

It’s also possible to insulate windows with dark-colored blankets that draw in heat.

Turning faucets to a trickle prevents pipes from freezing.