Another major storm is aimed at Western Washington potentially bringing more snow and hazardous winds, especially in eastern Snohomish County.
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a winter storm watch and a high winds watch for the county.
“We’re expecting another significant winter storm,” said Kirby Cook, a weather service forecaster.
The storm, packing sustained winds of up to 70 mph, is expected to hit hardest in communities from Lake Stevens east, including parts of Arlington, Granite Falls, Snohomish, Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar, Index and Skykomish.
The storm is predicted to move into the area Saturday afternoon and expected to be causing problems through Sunday.
Winds are forecast to increase Saturday morning and gusts off the Cascades could reach 90 mph, especially in the higher foothills, Cook said.
Sustained 70 mph winds are more than sufficient to cause widespread power outages. Temperatures are forecast to be hovering near freezing, so there is a specter of many people being without power and facing severe cold.
“This looks like kind of a mega storm,” said Tammy Douherty, the assistant director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management.
Officials there are in close contact with road crews, utility operators, emergency relief providers and the weather service. They are standing by to activate the emergency operations center, if necessary, she said.
People at home can be preparing for the storm by double checking to make sure they have working flashlights, battery operated radios and plenty of food and water.
“If they don’t have to go out, they should stay in,” Douherty said.
If a trip to the store is unavoidable, people should make sure the car is stocked with blankets, food and traction chains or sand, in case the vehicle gets stuck, she said.
Red Cross emergency shelters will be opened around the county if widespread power outages occur, Douherty said
“We’re actively tracking the weather information,” Snohomish PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said this morning.
The utility has crews and extra materials standing by, he said. More help from outside the region is available, if necessary.
Heaviest snow for the coming storm is forecast in areas outside Snohomish County.
“It doesn’t mean that we’re not expecting snow in Snohomish County,” Cook said.
The weather service also today issued an avalanche warning for the Cascade Range, where recent storms have in places dumped several feet of new snow. Starting today, through Monday, officials are worried that changing conditions, including high winds, could create instability in the snow pack and trigger slides.
Meanwhile, the continuing weather problems are creating a dangerously low emergency blood supply in the region, officials said.
The Puget Sound Blood Center has canceled over 15 blood drives, lost more than 1,000 blood donations and 50 platelet donations, spokesman Michael Young said.
People who are able to donate blood are asked to call the Puget Sound Blood Center at 1-800-398-7888 to schedule an appointment.
“With more inclement weather forecast, we can expect to lose an additional 500 donations over the next three days,” Young said. “And with the holidays, the next two weeks mean approximately 25 percent fewer donors than we would typically expect.”
Officials with the Salvation Army emergency shelter in downtown Everett said this morning it will remain open through Saturday night, at least.
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