EVERETT – Snohomish County and the Puget Sound region have had a rough run of bad weather.
And it’s not over yet.
A monster windstorm is predicted to blow through the region tonight and into Friday morning, the third one of the week. Winds of 45 mph are predicted with gusts up to 60 mph possible.
“There’s a chance that it’s going to be the worst one of the week. It’s starting to form out there in the offshore area, so we’re putting our money on a high-winds storm,” said Mike McFarland, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
Heavy rain and some early gusting could start this afternoon, he said.
Starting tonight, the strongest winds are likely to hit the coast, blow in through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and slam into the west side of Whidbey Island, McFarland said.
State airport officials on Wednesday issued a warning for private aircraft owners to make sure their airplanes are tied securely.
Many Snohomish County residents got a preview Wednesday of what could be coming.
Gusts of up to 50 mph swept through the county early Wednesday morning, knocking out electricity, blowing trash cans away and giving drivers an extra challenge.
A powerful gust snapped off a 35-foot section of a cedar tree and sent it crashing into the windshield of a passing car on 196th Street SW in Lynnwood. The driver, a 46-year-old Edmonds man, escaped with minor injuries.
“It’s a miracle he wasn’t killed. He should probably go buy a lottery ticket today,” Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said.
The road was partially blocked for about an hour while a crew removed the car and the tree.
Along Highway 99, the wind wreaked havoc with a Christmas tree lot. Dozens of Douglas firs and blue spruces toppled over and were scattered along the parking lot.
Firefighters around the county were busy checking downed power lines, including some that sparked small fires.
About 5,500 homes lost power in the southeast part of the county in the midmorning hours, said Neil Neroutsos, a spokesman for Snohomish County PUD.
About 2,000 homes lost power in Darrington, Arlington and Index, Neroutsos said.
By Wednesday evening, most people’s electricity had been restored, he said, adding that crews would work through the night to get everyone’s power back on.
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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