Strong winds in north Puget Sound prompt warning from officials

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- A wind advisory for the northern region of the Puget Sound goes into effect at 3 a.m. Tuesday and lasts until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Sustained winds are expected to reach 25-30 mph with gusts reaching 50 mph. These predicted winds are strong enough to topple trees and break branches. Folks in Bellingham and Whatcom County could see power outages as a result of the upcoming storm.

Puget Sound Energy had tree maintenance crews at two different locations in Bellingham on Monday. PSE spends $12 million a year on tree maintenance to prevent massive outages.

Officials warn residents to pack a 72-hour kit in case of outages. Kits should have enough food, water and medicine to provide for you and your family for three full days.