2,700 PUD customers lose power

MOSES LAKE - Strong wind gusts around the Columbia Basin caused power outages to 2,700 Grant County PUD customers Saturday.

PUD received calls of power outages throughout central and south Grant County starting at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

Areas affected by the power outage included Moses Lake, George, Vantage, Crescent Bar, Warden, Royal City and Mattawa.

"People reported lines were down, trees had fallen on lines and there was a broken pole in the Wahluke Slope area," said Grant County PUD Public Information officer Rita Bjork.

Saturday evening there were 49 mph winds in Moses Lake, 51 mph winds in Vantage, 49 mph winds in Warden, 46 mph winds in Othello, 44 mph winds in Soap Lake and 42 mph winds in George, according to the National Weather Service. The highest recorded wind gust was in Beverly at 72 mph.

PUD workers restored power to customers by early Sunday morning, said Bjork.

No major damages was reported from Saturday's winds, according to Grant County Emergency Management spokesman Kyle Foreman.

Moses Lake police reported a fallen tree knocking down power lines near West Valley Road at 3:15 p.m.

An hour later, a caller reported a trampoline hitting two cars, near Longview Street Northeast, causing scratches and a broken sunroof.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office knew of two downed power lines.

A power line snapped and hung over the roadway at Road O Southwest and 24 Road Southwest, according to Grant County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Ken Jones.

Another power line was reported down at Road K Southeast and Road One Southeast, he said.

Steve Bodnar, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Spokane office, said the Moses Lake area may have light rain throughout the rest of the week.

Temperatures will continue to cool down, into the 40s until Thursday, he said.

Heading into the weekend, he forecasts temperatures to be in the upper 30s.