‘We’re going to expect more damage’: Utility crews prepare for strong winds

MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — Now is the time to prepare ahead of potentially strong and damaging winds.

Wind gusts in communities butting up to the Cascades could reach 65 miles per hour and bring down trees and branches, which could lead to power outages.

“We’re ready,” said Cyndee Connely, who lives in Maple Valley. “Living out here you have to be ready.”

Connely said she and her family have candles and batteries ready, as well as a generator.

She’s considering deflating her inflatable Thanksgiving decorations in the yard and hopes the pumpkins will survive the storm on their own.

Utility companies are gearing up too, setting shift schedules and filling up cars ahead of the storm.

“For a utility, a wind event is a big, big deal,” said Kellie Stickney with Snohomish County PUD. “It’s potentially the most impactful weather event that we can have.”

Stickney said forecasts for Tuesday’s storm could present even more challenges.

“The winds that we’re expecting are going to be coming from an unusual direction,” she said, “which for us, tells us that we’re going to expect more damage than we typically would with similar gusts.”

The storm also hits at a time when many leaves are still on tree branches.

“Making them very heavy,” said Andrew Padula with Puget Sound Energy. “With all the rain we’ve had recently as well, that ground is very saturated, making it easier for a lot of those trees to topple over.”

Most utility companies will have employees working 24/7 to restore power if necessary.

“We sort of work year-round in preparation,” Padula said. “Trimming trees back, completing any type of electric reliability projects to strengthen our system.”

To prepare, trim back any trees or branches from your home or power lines. Secure any loose items outside and charge your devices. If you need power for any medical issues, make sure you have a plan of what you can do if you lose power.

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