A powerful storm has rolled into Western Washington, bringing some serious wind and leaving thousands without power. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Wind Advisory stretching from the Oregon border all the way up past Bellingham, and it’s no joke.
The strongest winds are hitting the southern and central coast, with gusts as high as 60 to 70 mph. In the Puget Sound area, things will really pick up around 9 p.m., with gusts expected between 45 and 55 mph lasting until around 2 or 3 a.m. According to NWS meteorologist Anna Lindeman, the winds will slowly build through the afternoon and hit their peak later in the evening.
As the storm moved in, it was already causing trouble. By evening, more than 30,000 homes and businesses were without power in the Seattle area. Snohomish County reported over 16,000 outages, Seattle City Light had nearly 6,000 customers in the dark, and Puget Sound Energy reported about 12,500 without electricity.
Lindeman advised people to take precautions ahead of the strongest winds. “If you can, secure any loose items in your yard before the winds pick up—patio furniture, sports equipment, trash cans—anything that could blow away,” she said.
Power outages are likely in the hardest-hit areas, so it’s a good idea to be prepared. Make sure your flashlights have fresh batteries, your cell phone is fully charged, and you might even want to dig out a non-electric alarm clock just in case.
The good news? The worst of the winds should die down by Tuesday morning. By Wednesday, the rain could take a break, and we might even see some sunshine with temperatures nearing 60 degrees. So hang in there, Western Washington—calmer days are on the way.
