Double-whammy of wind, rain expected tonight through weekend

EVERETT — Anyone with leaky shoes might want to look for a new pair.

High wind and lots of rain are in the forecast for the next several days.

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a high wind watch for Thursday evening and into early Friday morning. Winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 are expected for the region.

Those winds could break limbs, topple trees and knock out power.

And that’s just Act I.

A second round of heavy wind and rain could hit by Saturday, placing the area in a dark, wet, gray box.

“The one for the weekend has the potential to be even worse,” said Art Gaebel, a meteorologist with the weather service in Seattle.

Forecasters say Everett could be hit by 3 inches of rain in the next few days. Outlying areas, such as Granite Falls, are expected to get even more rain.

Flood watches and warnings also could be posted if the wind and rain reach predicted levels, Gaebel said.

Crews are ready to go at the Snohomish County PUD and understand it could be a double whammy spread out over a few days, officials said.

“We are monitoring the weather reports and we stock our supplies well ahead of the fall season,” PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said. “We have our crews on alert to be ready. They are getting notice that we might have extra work in the next few days depending on how the winds hit.”

Wind can hit some areas harder than others, he said.

What typically happens in the first fall storm is weaker branches and limbs come down first. The utility has had tree trimmers out during the course of a year looking for branches and trees near power lines.

The PUD recommends customers have an emergency kit ready. It should include food, water, flashlights and batteries. It also is a good time to charge cellphones.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.