COEUR d'ALENE - More than 2,000 people in the downtown Coeur d'Alene area experienced power outages for a bit more than an hour Saturday afternoon when windy conditions caused trees to blow into power lines.

Avista Utilities spokesperson Laurine Jue said an interrupted "feeder," a major electrical distribution line, was the source of the high volume of outages.

"An entire feeder was affected," she said. "When a feeder goes out, it certainly affects a significant number of customers."

Climatologist Cliff Harris recorded a wind gust of 47 mph at 10:38 a.m. Saturday.

Jue said Avista crews were busy all day responding to calls regarding outages and damage caused by the severe winds.

"You never know what mother nature's going to bring, so we like to be prepared," she said.

Downtown businesses such as The Coeur d'Alene Resort lost power at 1:05 p.m. and it was restored at 2:15 p.m. As of 4 p.m. Saturday, 372 Avista customers in Rathdrum were without power because of a downed tree on a power line, according to Avista's website. By 5 p.m., the number of outages was reduced to about five.

Kootenai Electric Cooperative reported on its website that approximately 2,000 members in the Hayden area were without power at 10:45 a.m., also because of trees on power lines. Power was restored to that area just after 11 a.m.