Heavy wind, rain pummel Washington’s coast



WESTPORT, Wash. – Friday’s storm took most of the day to arrive along Washington’s coast but it came on shore with a roar.

The wind started picking up earlier Friday morning and by afternoon hail and heavy rain pummeled the coastal town of Westport.

One of the bigger concerns on the coast according to the Coast Guard could be for anybody still out on the water in vessels or simply walking the beach.

Sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour winds pushed seas upwards of 25 feet.

“It’s getting rough and it’s only getting worse,” said Petty Officer First Class Robert Beresh. “It’s calling for gusts near 60 tonight, we want to encourage everyone to keep an eye on the weather.”

Street signs in downtown Westport shook and rattled in the wind – it seemed most people spent Friday indoors and out of the elements.

If the strong winds and swells get worse, the Coast Guard says anybody who might still be on the water will be putting their own lives in danger.

“Definitely not a good time to be on the water,” said Beresh.

Down south along the coastline in northern Pacific County the wind was also howling – pushing gusts upwards of 60 miles per hour.

This storm may help Washaway beach live up to its name and power outages could also be a problem as the storm continues its onslaught.

Even though the storm could provide breathtaking images along the beach, could be pretty, the Coast Guard is warning today is not the time for a stroll.

“That stuff will suck you out very quickly you know there’s no telling what could happen from there,” said Beresh. “Staying off the beaches is the best way to be.”