Thousands Lose Power in Salt Lake County Amid May Wind Storms
On May 13, 2025, a huge chunk of Salt Lake County was plunged into darkness as Rocky Mountain Power reported massive outages, cutting electricity to nearly 14,000 customers. The chaos kicked off around lunchtime when a transmission line toppled in one of Salt Lake City’s busiest neighborhoods. The Avenues and Central City areas took the brunt, with 7,800 homes and businesses suddenly left without power. It was a jolting reminder of just how vulnerable the local grid can be when nature turns wild.
The biggest disruption started at 1 p.m., causing everything from disrupted Zoom calls to flickering stoplights right as people were getting ready for lunch breaks or afternoon commutes. Crews scrambled to figure out what happened, eventually rerouting electricity onto an alternate line. By late afternoon, most lights flickered back on, but the experience left plenty shaken—and frustrated—about how quickly a city can grind to a halt.
Outages Widen as Winds Roar Across Northern Utah
This wasn’t an isolated event. Power blips popped up across the broader region, including Davis and Weber counties. In Bluffdale, about 1,500 people were affected. The utility didn’t immediately pin down every cause, but one culprit stood out: relentless wind. Gusts clocked in as high as 74 mph in the mountains, with regular bursts topping 45 mph along the Wasatch Front. For anyone living nearby, this wasn’t just a breezy afternoon—it felt like the whole valley was shaking. The National Weather Service had already issued wind advisories, warning folks about possible downed lines, debris, and, of course, power outages.
Rocky Mountain Power’s Bianca Velasquez said line workers faced rough conditions as they got the grid back up and running. Imagine being sent out in blasting winds to wrangle transmission wires—not exactly anyone’s idea of a good day at work. Yet they made steady progress, working into the evening to restore power to neighborhoods and businesses eager to get back to normal.
With electricity bouncing on and off, Rocky Mountain Power urged everyone to secure patio furniture, trash bins, or anything that could take flight once the wind picked up. The company also suggested keeping a 48-hour emergency kit at hand—think of it as a basic insurance policy when the next weather surprise hits. Simple steps, but crucial for those who’ve now experienced firsthand how quickly the lights can go out.
Interestingly, officials pointed out there’s no confirmed connection between this widespread outage and three other blackouts that hit South Salt Lake earlier in the month. So, while the timing’s odd, investigators say it looks like a fluke rather than an emerging pattern—at least, for now.
If there’s one thing everyone’s talking about after this week, it’s just how unpredictable spring weather in Utah can be. For a lot of people, these storms are a nudge to take seriously those reminders about storm prepping—because as the latest Salt Lake County outage shows, sometimes you really do need to expect the unexpected.