High-wind watch issued for Friday in Western Washington

SEATTLE – Those who were tricked by that quick burst of sun this week are about to get another reminder that it’s still April, and this is still Western Washington.

Thursday’s heavy rain will be joined by Friday’s heavy wind, as the National Weather Service issued a high-wind watch for Friday. The latest forecast is available here.

In the video below, Q13 News meteorologist Rebecca Stevenson breaks down when the winds will hit your city and how strong they'll be:



Winds of 20-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are forecast in through much of Western Washington, including King, Pierce, San Juan, Kitsap and Skagit counties.

Q13 News meteorologist Walter Kelley said there will also likely be isolated thunderstorms Friday afternoon. He said the heavy gusts will begin on the coast early Friday, then move up to Bellingham and on to the Puget Sound area as the afternoon progresses.

A high-wind watch means there’s the “potential for a hazardous high-wind event,” the NWS said. Broken branches and toppled trees could produce power outages.

A spokesperson for Seattle City Light said crews will be monitoring the forecast. Employees have an early morning conference call scheduled for Friday morning to determine if the system is still on track and where they should place crews in preparation. They said soil conditions are a bit of a concern since the ground is so saturated at this time in the spring. When the ground is saturated, it makes it easier for trees to topple.