A strong storm moving through the area today and Thursday is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds.

Power outages have been reported and localized flooding can be seen.

A wind advisory is in effect through 2 p.m. today and a flood watch remains in effect for Snohomish County.

The National Weather Service issued the wind advisory for Snohomish County and the surrounding areas at 5:14 a.m. this morning. Winds of 25 mph to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are possible.

About 900 residents in the Lake Goodwin area lost power twice this morning, said Neil Neroutsos, a spokesman for the Snohomish County PUD.

“If there are sustained winds of over 30 mph, there’s a good chance we will see some outages in the area, particularly because the ground is so saturated,” Neroutsos said. “Trees come down a little easier.”

On Whidbey Island, a wind gust toppled a tree onto power lines, causing a power outage early this morning, said Island County Emergency Planner Mike Simmons. Homes from Penn Cove south were affected.

As of 10 a.m., power had not been restored, but workers were attempting to solve the problem, Simmons said.

Wind likely caused several power outages on Camano Island this morning too, he said.

Rains today and Thursday are forecast to cause local rivers to rise. The storm is not predicted to cause the kind of widespread flooding that swept through the region last week.

Minor flooding is predicted Thursday in low-lying pastures and farmland.

Huge puddles filled streets in downtown Everett this morning.

The Snohomish River at Snohomish is forecast to reach 22 feet by Thursday afternoon. Thats three feet below flood stage.

In Arlington, the Stillaguamish River is expected to crest at about 10 feet Thursday morning, more than two feet below flood stage.

The weather service said freezing levels are expected to rise to 6,000 feet and many mountain locations will see 2 to 5 inches of rain in a 12- to 18-hour period. Earlier, the weather service had predicted freezing levels would hit 8,000 feet.