It huffed. And it puffed. But it didn’t blow anyone’s house down – or many trees, power lines or utility poles, either.
Thursday’s much-ballyhooed storm did no severe damage on the West End, which often fares the worst in heavy weather, according to observers in Neah Bay, LaPush and Forks.
Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said some downed trees were reported on North Shore Quinault Road.
Although the wind blew across East Jefferson County, no major problems were reported.
In the middle of the North Olympic Peninsula’s population center – Port Angeles and Sequim – breezy conditions were reported part of the day, but instead of heavy rains forecast earlier, sunlight shined down.
On the Peninsula’s East End, high winds closed the Hood Canal Bridge at 4:40 p.m.
It is supposed to be closed to traffic if sustained winds reach 40 mph for 15 minutes.
The drawspan is opened to reduce tension on the floating bridge’s anchor cables and pontoons.
The bridge returned to normal operation about 7:15 p.m., the state Department of Transportation reported.
The U.S. Coast Guard only reported a fishing vessel that broke free in Kilisut Harbor between Marrowstone and Indian islands.
But the winds delayed the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry across Admiralty Inlet for a short time midday.
The National Weather Service has forecast showers through tonight along the Pacific coast, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal.
Temperatures are predicted to range from the low 40s to the mid-50s.
On Thursday, the Clallam County Public Utility District reported these power problems:
“Everyone affected has their power back on,” said David Proebstel, the PUD’s chief engineer, “except the Sherbourne Road customer, who needs an electrician.”
Tom Tilson at Kenmore Air Express said the airline canceled all flights between 3:30 p.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. today, the first flight out of Port Angeles to Seattle.
“It’s calm here in Seattle,” he said Thursday afternoon from the airline’s headquarters, “but there’s significant winds coming across the Olympics. There’s significant high turbulence aloft.”
The West End received wind and rain but less than what had been feared.
“I think it was worse out here a couple of weeks ago,” said Ramona Venske, a Neah Bay Public Safety dispatcher, “and we didn’t get any warning then.”
In LaPush, “it’s blowing, but we haven’t gotten any high gusts,” said Quileute Tribal Chairman Russ Woodruff.
“It’s not coming down like it was supposed to.”
Forks police reported no weather-related road closures or collisions.
Bill Riley, maintenance and operations supervisor in the state Department of Transportation’s Port Angeles office, said the weather didn’t live up to its advance billing.
“There’s just a couple of trees down this morning,” he said.
“I don’t know where our storm went. We were all ready – plows ready and saws sharpened, too.
“Where it went I don’t know, but it doesn’t break my heart that nothing happened.”
