Weather updates: Heavy rain, strong winds, power outages in Seattle area

The number of customers without power throughout Washington fluctuated Tuesday afternoon due to multiple large outages.

As of 5:15 p.m., 12,024 outages were reported statewide with 167 customers in King County, 118 customers in Pierce County, 56 customers in Snohomish County and 37 customers in Whatcom County without power.

Puget Sound Energy said 11,337 customers without power as of 5:02 p.m., with 122 outages reported.

Seattle City Light said 3,331 customers without power as of 5:02 p.m.

The Snohomish Public Utility District said 57 customers in its district were without power as of 5:05 p.m.

The Coast Guard has joined the Everett fire and police departments in searching for a kayaker after finding an empty kayak Tuesday off Jetty Island amid a storm bringing heavy rains and strong winds to the Puget Sound region.

Police received a call around 12:37 p.m. from a kayaker who could be heard screaming for help through heavy wind, said Everett police Officer Kerby Duncan. The 911 dispatcher was unable to make out anything else, but police found the call was coming from the water off Jetty Island, he added.

Searchers found an empty kayak but did not find a kayaker about one hour after arriving, Duncan said.

Read the full story here.

A downed utility pole near East Madison Street and 29th Avenue East blocked all lanes in both directions shortly before 3 p.m., according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

The pole toppled onto a passing truck and a nearby building. No injuries were reported, according to Seattle Fire Department spokesperson David Cuerpo.

Travelers are advised to use alternative routes as crews work to clear the area.

An earthquake with a 3.0 magnitude was reported Tuesday afternoon near Mount Vernon, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network,

The earthquake occurred around 2:11 p.m. near Big Lake, about six miles east of Mount Vernon. It had a depth of about 9.4 miles.

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The Cayuse and Chinook passes will remain closed for the season, according to the Washington Department of Transportation. North Cascades Highway will close tomorrow, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.

Read the full story here.

As of 2:00 p.m., more than 15,000 power outages were reported throughout Washington, down from more than 64,000 earlier this morning.

As of 2:00 p.m., 8,902 customers in King County, 179 customers in Pierce County, 2,119 customers in Snohomish County and 465 customers in Whatcom County were without power.

Puget Sound Energy reported 120 outages with 11,959 customers in the dark as of 2:02 p.m.

Seattle City Light reported 4,769 customers without power as of 2:04 p.m.

Tacoma Public Utilities reported 32 customers without power as of 2:00 p.m.

The Snohomish Public Utility District said 1,679 in its district were without power as of 2:10 p.m.

Emergencies are often unpredictable. But you can still plan for them.

No matter where you live, every home should have a ‘go bag’ and a ‘stay bin.’ The go bag is what you grab when you have to leave the house in a hurry, whether it’s to get to the emergency room or to evacuate. The stay bin is a two-week stash in the event you have to hunker down at home without power, water or heat.

Read the full story here.

If you received a tornado warning on your phone, rest easy. There is currently no tornado warning in Seattle, King County or elsewhere in Washington state.

The National Weather Service clarified that no tornado warning was issued in Seattle, after multiple reports of people receiving phone alerts telling them to take shelter shortly after noon in areas including Ballard, First Hill, Greenwood, Bainbridge Island and the University District.

NWS issued tornado warnings for Suquamish, Brownsville, Rollingbay, Silverdale, Tracyton and Seabeck, which have expired.

NWS is asking people to tweet their location if they received a false alert, including their cell carrier.

Read the full story here.

If you're in an area where there is a tornado warning, pay attention to changing conditions, as some tornadoes can approach rapidly. A dark or green-colored sky, large, low-lying cloud, hail and a loud roar that sounds like a train are all signs that a tornado is approaching, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you're at home, go to a basement or the lowest floor, in an interior room without windows. Cover your head and neck with your arms.

If you're in a car, the best option is to drive to the closest sturdy building, according to the National Weather Service. If you can't get to a building, either get down and cover your head, or go to a low area like a ditch.

A tornado warning has been issued in Suquamish, Brownsville and Rollingbay until 12:30 p.m.

A tornado warning has been issued through 12:15 p.m. in Silverdale, Tracyton and Seabeck.

Review tips to help get through a power outage, as well as our guide to staying safe if you don't have electricity. The guide, available here, includes Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Somali, Chinese, Korean and Ukrainian translations.

As of 11:01 a.m., more than 20,000 power outages had been reported throughout Washington, down from more than 64,000 earlier this morning.

As of 11 a.m., 14,378 customers in King County, 367 customers in Pierce County, 1,259 customers in Snohomish County and 961 customers in Whatcom County were without power.

Puget Sound Energy reported 123 outages with 9,714 customers in the dark as of 11:12 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 6,689 customers without power as of 11:18 a.m.

Tacoma Public Utilities reported 58 customers without power as of 11:01 a.m.

The Snohomish Public Utility District said 1,259 in its district were without power as of 11:21 a.m.

The Hood Canal Bridge is closed until further notice due to strong winds and big waves. Crews are on standby on the bridge, WSDOT said, to reopen when winds decrease.

Opening the draw span helps relieve pressure on the bridge, according to WSDOT, which said waves hitting the bridge deck reached 30 feet after the draw span was closed to traffic Tuesday morning.

There was no estimated time for reopening as of 11:15 a.m.

The two left westbound lanes on Interstate 90 near Issaquah were blocked shortly before 10:20 a.m. due to fallen trees, according to the Washington Department of Transportation.

Delays are expected from SE High Point Way, just east of E Sunset Way, with an WSDOT incident response team and Washington State Patrol working to clear the area.

Seattle Parks has temporarily closed Arboretum Drive past the north gates by the Graham Visitors center Tuesday morning, citing high wind concerns and possible impacts on trees in the area.

The Meadowbrook Community Center is also closed with no power to the facility. Programs at the location are canceled Tuesday, Seattle Parks announced.

Several slide-offs are impacting roadways in the mountains. The Washington Department of Transportation is urging drivers to "slow down and drive for conditions."

Seattle Public Schools announced it will implement indoor lunch plans today due to high winds.

"All schools have developed lunch plans that provide a safe eating environment for students including the use of outdoor space when physically possible," the district said. "When our region experiences heavy rains or high winds, school meals may be moved indoors for student safety."

Six SPS schools have closed today due to power outages. All others will implement indoor lunch plans.

Due to power outages, Seattle Public Schools has closed the following schools today:

• Decatur Elementary
• John Rogers Elementary
• Thornton Creek Elementary
• View Ridge Elementary
• Wedgwood Elementary
• West Seattle High School

"District staff is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible," the district said on its website. "We know that these types of changes are disruptive for students, and we will work to keep families informed with any updates. "

Here’s a list of resources to monitor how the stormy weather impacts the region including information on live forecasts, school schedule changes and service changes for drivers and commuters.

Read the full guide here.

Des Moines Elementary is out of power, the school posted on its site Tuesday morning. With no estimate of when power will be restored, the school is closed for the day for all staff and students. "Because the outage may impact our neighborhood, we will not do remote learning today," the message said.

Sections of four roads in King County have closed due to downed trees. King County Road Services is updating information on road closures and reopenings at kingcounty.gov/MyCommute.

Update: Seattle Department of Transportation said shortly before 11 a.m. that all lanes of Lake City Way had reopened.

All lanes of Lake City Way were blocked from NE 95th to NE 98th streets Tuesday morning due to a downed tree.

As of 8:01 a.m., more than 64,000 power outages had been reported throughout Washington.

As of 8 a.m., 29,625 customers in King County, 20,833 customers in Pierce County, 7,651 customers in Snohomish County and 4,539 customers in Whatcom County were without power.

Puget Sound Energy reported 141 outages with 21,466 customers in the dark as of 7:57 a.m.

Seattle City Light reported 14,667 customers without power as of 8:02 a.m.

Tacoma Public Utilities reported 19,100 customers without power as of 8:01 a.m.

The Snohomish Public Utility District said 7,771 in its district were without power as of 8:01 a.m.

Looks like it’s going to be a blustery, busy weather day Tuesday with strong winds, periods of heavy rain, snow in the mountains, minor flooding and a risk of landslides, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.

A high-wind advisory has been issued for areas in the Puget Sound region, including Seattle and Everett. A high-wind warning is in place for areas along the coast and the northern interior of Western Washington, said weather service meteorologist Mary Butwin.

A high-wind advisory is also in effect for areas in the east Puget Sound region, along the Cascade Mountains, including North Bend, Monroe, Bonney Lake and Maple Valley.

Read the full story here.