Today marks 54 years since Columbus Day Storm that killed 46 people along west coast

SEATTLE -- Oct. 12th marks 54 years since the deadly Columbus Day storm.

Images show the devastation of what is still considered the strongest non tropical storm to hit the lower 48 states. Forty-six people died that day in 1962.

Winds reached well above 100 mph inland between Bellingham and Eugene. The coast was slammed with 150 mph winds.

Thousands of buildings were destroyed and millions of people lost power along the west coast between San Francisco and British Columbia.

Storms of that force can happen again and, according to Take Winter By Storm, happen about every ten years.

This year will mark ten years since the Hanukkah Eve wind storm of December 2006. That storm killed 14 people across western Washington and knocked out power to about 1.5 million people when hurricane force winds whipped through the region.