Colder weather could hit the region this weekend, bringing rain and — possibly — snow.
Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s and 30s by the weekend.
The Arcticlike bite would provide a chilly contrast to windstorms that swept Snohomish and Island counties on Monday and Wednesday.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday that people across the Western Washington lowlands should continue to monitor forecasts and prepare for the possibility of winter weather conditions. There could be a little snow by Saturday night and Sunday, but it is not likely to stay long, meteorologist Johnny Burg said.
If the long-term temperature forecast holds up and the cold arrives “we could break or tie some records” by Tuesday, Burg said.
In the mountains, a winter-storm warning remains in effect through Thursday. A foot of snow was expected to fall on Stevens Pass between Wednesday morning and early Thursday.
Drivers going across the mountains should check the road conditions, be equipped with chains or snow tires, pack extra warm clothes and make sure their cell phones are working, Burg said.
Whidbey Island took the brunt of Wednesday’s 30 to 45 mph winds. Gusts of 60 mph blew through in the morning before dying down by the afternoon.
Wednesday also proved to soggy. Nearly half an inch of rain fell on Everett between 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
Roughly 200 Snohomish Public Utility District customers who lost power during Monday night’s windstorm remained in the dark into Wednesday night.
“We were able to make good progress today,” PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said. There were about 4,000 customers without power Wednesday morning, down from a peak of 25,000 on Monday night.
The PUD had 50 crews working to restore power. Some were contract crews from as far away as Benton, Douglas and Grant counties in Eastern Washington.
Many Snohomish PUD crews worked 40 consecutive hours and were legally required to rest, Neroutsos said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
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