A day after high winds knocked out power to thousands of people in Snohomish County, snow began falling heavily over Stevens Pass and the western slopes of the north Cascades.
Up to 11 inches of snow was expected to fall in the mountains by 6 this morning, with the snow level dipping down to 3,500 feet. More snow was expected to fall throughout the day, National Weather Service Meteorologist Andy Haner said.
Travelers heading over the mountain passes are advised to use chains or traction tires, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Work crews are planning to be on hand to plow or sand the roadways if necessary.
On Sunday, the weather service predicts a chance of additional snow as the freezing level is expected to rise above 4,000 feet.
Meanwhile, work crews scrambled to restore power late Friday to roughly 2,000 households in Snohomish County that were still without electricity in the wake of Thursday’s windstorm. At one point during the storm, 85,000 customers in the county had lost power, PUD spokesman Mike Thorne said.
The strongest gust of the day was measured at 56 mph with sustained 37 mph winds at Paine Field in Everett.
In Island County, a gust of 49 mph was recorded at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, also with sustained winds of 37 mph.
The wind was strong enough to blow a long-standing cottonwood tree through the roof of Douglas Theer’s three-story home.
Theer’s wife, Donna, normally would have been at their home in Snohomish when the tree crashed through their kitchen about 3:10 p.m. Thursday. However, she left to get her hair done at Everett Community College, where their daughter attends cosmetology school.
“I’m a Christian man, and I try to just relax and not worry too much about things,” said Theer, 49. “I just know that everything will be taken care of. My wife, on the other hand, she was freaking out.”
Also on Thursday, a large tree fell onto a mobile home in Lake Stevens, severely damaging its bedrooms. The Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross provided temporary housing to two adults who lived in the mobile home. Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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