High winds are expected to rip through the North Olympic Peninsula today as a winterlike storm moves onshore.
Utility crews were gearing up for storm-related power outages Thursday. The state Department of Transportation said it may close the Hood Canal Bridge.
A high wind warning was in effect on Thursday for the Peninsula and most of Western Washington, predicting gusts of 65 mph for the Pacific Coast with winds of 40-to-50 mph forecast along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hood Canal.
Johnny Burg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle, said the low pressure center will pass over the Peninsula early this afternoon.
“It is kind of a common winter storm,” Burg said. “This one’s coming late.”
The storm is expected to dump between 1 and 2 feet of snow on the Olympic Mountains. A winter storm warning is in effect for the Olympics and Cascade mountains.
Burg said the Peninsula will be spared from significant rain because of the rain shadow caused by the Olympics.
River in the region are not expected to flood, the National Weather Service said.
Clallam County Public Utility District crews were placed on standby Thursday.
A communications chain is in place to mobilize crews if widespread outages occur, PUD spokesman Jeff Beaman said.
“Aside from our normal ongoing activities like tree removing, vegetation management and continually monitoring our system for frequent outages and making improvements there, we don’t do anything special in terms of ramping up at times like this,” Beaman said.
Beaman said the PUD is on heightened awareness when storms are forecast.
“Very often, it never comes to much,” he added.
The PUD provides electrical service to every area of Clallam County except Port Angeles, which is served by the city.
Puget Sound Energy, which provides electricity to most of east Jefferson County, sent a tree-cutting crew and services crew to Port Townsend late Thursday in advance of the possible closure of the Hood Canal Bridge.
Transportation issued a statement on Thursday warning of possible delays or bridge closure.
“During inclement weather, [Transportation] may close the bridge to traffic when there is water over the roadway or when high winds are sustained for 15 minutes or longer,” the statement said.
PSE officials met with weather experts on Thursday to review the forecast and plan for outages.
Most of the damage is expected to hit
Skagit and Whatcom counties are expected to have the most damage of the counties that PSE serves — which includes Jefferson County and other Puget Sound counties — said Davina Gruenstein, Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman.
“Weather patterns change all the time,” Gruenstein said. “Everyone’s on alert.”
The PUD and Puget Sound Energy work year-round to minimize the impact of storms by cutting limbs near power lines.
“Our crews are ready to go at any point in the year,” Gruenstein said.
Adding to the potential for power outages is the fact that deciduous trees have new leaves that cause a parachute effect.
Clallam County PUD customers can report an outage by phoning 360-452-9771.
Puget Sound Energy customers can report an outage by phoning 1-888-225-5773.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
