SEATTLE – Heading into Saturday evening, more than 62,000 customers were experiencing a power outage in the Puget Sound region. The numbers have fluctuated throughout the day as Puget Sound Energy had crews trying to get ahead of incoming stormy weather for western Washington.
Starting early in the morning, about 15,000 customers lost power by 8 a.m., PSE got the outages down to 9,085 by noon. However, heading into the evening outages surged again, leaving 62,437 customers without power as of 5:20 p.m. on Saturday.
Local perspective:
The area between Mt. Vernon and Bellingham has about 15 outages, Seattle proper is seeing about two dozen, and areas to the south like Tacoma and Olympia are seeing nearly 200 outages.
Just outside of Roy, between Tacoma and Olympia, a tree split and fell on attendees of a community Trick-or-Treat Halloween event with dozens of people below. One person was killed, and multiple were injured.
All together, with smaller outages also popping up in Kitsap and nearby counties, tens of thousands of residents or businesses were without power heading into the evening.
FOX 13 issued a weather alert day as the weekend kicked off. While this is not a major storm, increasing winds, mountain snow, and continued rain could cause problems, especially later Saturday.
Puget Sound Energy power outage map as of 5 p.m. on Oct. 25
What’s next:
Much of Puget Sound could see gusts up to 35 or 45 mph. Tacoma, Mukilteo and Olympia could see gusts up to 50 mph.
There is a high wind warning along the lower Washington coast until 11 p.m. and a wind advisory from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. Saturday for the greater Puget Sound region. Winds across the region will decrease Sunday into the earlier part of the week.
What you can do:
Keep reading for tips on dealing with power outages.
- Stay Informed: Keep a battery-powered radio or use your smartphone to stay updated on weather conditions and power restoration efforts.
- Conserve Heat: If temperatures are low, especially in later evening hours, close off unused rooms to retain heat and use blankets and warm clothing to stay warm. Avoid using gas stoves or ovens for heating.
- Use Generators Safely: If using a generator, ensure it is placed outdoors and away from windows to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Preserve Food: Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain cold temperatures. A full freezer can keep food frozen for about 48 hours.
- Emergency Kit: Have an emergency kit ready with essentials such as flashlights, batteries, water, non-perishable food, and a first-aid kit.
- Check on Neighbors: Look out for elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need assistance during the outage.
- Residents are encouraged to report outages to their respective utility providers and to follow safety guidelines to ensure their well-being during the inclement weather.
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