A powerful wind storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest, killing one person and leaving a trail of damage -- including a highway shut down after a landslide and a tractor-trailer that was nearly blown off a bridge. Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed electricians near you. Trees or other vegetation were the leading cause, followed by lightning, then animals. Heat waves are hotter, heavy rain events are heavier, and winter storms have increased in both frequency and intensity. “The high winds brought down many trees on power lines, snapping lines and breaking poles making for slow restoration work. An overnight storm left a wake of disruptions in Southwest Washington and the Portland metro area Wednesday, with numerous power outages and landslides impeding traffic in … Tree damage is the second most common cause of power outages. 10 Photos of JFK’s Former Georgetown Residence That’ll Make Old H... 10 Things You Should Never Do When the Power Goes Out, 10 Things Never to Plug into a Power Strip, 13 Home Improvements That Are Illegal to DIY, Slash Your Electric Bill with 11 Savvy Hacks, 15 Little Signs Your House Has a Big Problem, Send Yourself to Camp This Summer: 12 Top Learning Destinations. A storm packing a mix of heavy rains and winds knocked out power to thousands of homes across the Northeast region Christmas morning. Lightning looks for the quickest path to the ground. Just like a radio station transmitter induces a current in your radios recieving antenna, the same thing happens to power lines during a lightning strike. “The process takes time and crews may be delayed, as unsafe weather remains an issue.” Most of the outages were caused by falling trees and branches from high winds … “Strong winds developed this morning ahead of a frontal system pushing across Vancouver Island. Here are just some of the factors that can cause your power to go out: Storms. Forgot password? Vehicles coming into contact with utility poles are a common cause of power outages. If the problem does not clear itself, we send a Trouble Shooter out to locate the source of the problem and clear the line. A power outage (also called a power cut, a power out, a power blackout, a power failure, a power loss, or a blackout) is the loss of the electrical power network supply to an end user.. As a result, regular home appliances (especially older ones) plugged in might suffer damages, leading to a power outage. This will lead to an outage in the area served by that particular power line, usually just a few homes. Flooding can damage both overhead and underground electrical equipment. Most of the time, there’s not much a homeowner can do to prevent an outage, though you could invest in a reliable personal generator that produces a limited amount of electricity until the power comes back on. Northwest Storm Kills 1, Causes Landslide and Power Outages A powerful wind storm has rolled through the Pacific Northwest, killing one person and leaving a trail of damage. The outages come during a storm … Winter storms are a threat to electrical equipment when snow and ice build up on power lines and tree limbs. It can also strike trees, which may fall onto power lines and cause outages; Ice - Ice storms create a buildup of ice on power lines and on trees. High winds may cause power lines to touch. Trees falling on power lines or tree limbs coming into contact with power lines are frequent causes of power outages, even in good weather. The system tries to reset itself (see Momentary Power Outages), but if it can’t, a crew must remove the limb or tree and repair any damage to restore power. Lightning may strike electrical equipment or nearby objects causing them to fall onto lines or poles. Even further with todays technology, being with out WIFI, Internet and a Phone can make matters seem much more desperate. During storms, lightning will sometimes strike power lines, causing a surge in electrical pressure. Power outages can be caused by many circumstances. More detail can be found in this article on flashovers. The power lines act like an antenna and lightning strikes cause electromagnetic disturbance across a wide range of frequencies. 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