Hold on tight as the wacky October weather continues

EVERETT — Better stick your political signs a little deeper in the yard. Things could get gusty.

The wacky October weather pattern continues after a wet weekend of lightning strikes, storms and a tornado.

Strong winds are forecast Tuesday along the coast and north of Everett. This could cause power outages or tree damage, the National Weather Service in Seattle warns.

Rain is in the cards, as well, with a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms. The wetness is likely to stick around until Wednesday afternoon.

Along with wind and rain, snow is possible in higher elevations. Stevens Pass ski resort got its first dusting over the weekend, and another round or two of light snow is expected this week.

“It’s a great sign that winter is around the corner,” spokesperson Chris Owen said. “We’re really excited to get back on our skis.”

Opening day on the slopes is Dec. 4, weather permitting.

In 2019, a couple of inches fell over a weekend in late September at the ski resort, and two weeks later about a foot of snow fell in less than 24 hours.

For Whidbey Islanders, better charge up the flashlights and cell phones. Winds with gusts of 40 mph to 50 mph are possible Tuesday evening for the west coast of the island.

What a week it has been.

A tornado touched down in Grays Harbor County shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, the Puget Sound convergence zone brought heavy rain, hail and lightning to south Snohomish County and north King County, causing localized flooding in Shoreline and Bothell.

Near Edmonds, a state ferry was knocked out of service Saturday evening when it was struck by lightning. The ferry was on the Edmonds-Kingston run.

No one was injured on the boat, but the lightning affected the navigation system. As a result, three ferry runs were canceled Saturday night, and service was limited to one boat until Monday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.