Hanukkah Eve wind storm of 2006

The Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of 2006 was a powerful Pacific storm that slammed into the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and southern British Columbia, Canada between December 14, 2006 and December 15, 2006. The storm produced storm to hurricane-force wind gusts and heavy rainfall, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and leaving over 1.8 million residences and businesses without power. 18 people were killed, most of whom died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the days following the storm because of improper use of barbecue cookers and generator indoors. The name of the storm was chosen in a contest run by the National Weather Service office in Seattle from about 8,000 entries.

Impact

Washington

The storm left heavy damage across Washington, especially tree damage. The fallen trees knocked down many power line and closed many roads as well. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport partially lost power, canceling most flights. Flooding was also reported in low-lying areas from the heavy rain.



The electricity grid was hit very hard, as about 1.2 million customers lost power in the state, and Puget Sound Energy reported that more than 75 percent of its circuits were damaged. Municipal utilities also suffered severe damage. In the Seattle area, several days after the storm hundreds of thousands of families still remained without...
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