High winds down trees, prompt rescues across region
Nov 5, 2014, 3:50 PM | Updated: Nov 6, 2014, 6:25 pm
Emergency responders try to free a truck driver trapped by a fallen tree on Highway 530 near Oso Thursday afternoon(Trooper Mark Francis/WSP)
(Trooper Mark Francis/WSP)
Strong winds downed trees and power lines throughout the afternoon across the Puget Sound region, blocking roads and prompting several rescues.
The driver of a semi-truck was trapped in his cab when a tree fell on his big rig on Highway 530 near Oso Thursday afternoon, blocking both lanes of the newly rebuilt roadway.
Washington State Patrol trooper Mark Francis says the driver was pulled from the truck and airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
The Seattle Fire Department rescued a man trapped by a fallen tree in his backyard in the 12700 block of Dayton Ave. N. in northwest Seattle Thursday afternoon.
Medics transported the man to Harborview Medical Center, but he didn’t appear injured, the Seattle Fire Department says.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the Puget Sound area until 6 p.m. from Mount Vernon to Centralia, where winds were forecast to reach 20-to-35 miles mph winds with gusts possible of 50 mph.
A high wind warning was also in effect for the north sound, the San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula out to the coast, with winds from 25 to 40 mph with possible gusts to 60 mph.
The winds downed trees on US 101 near Port Angeles and Brinnon on the east side of Hood Canal, blocking lanes in both directions.
US 101 along Lake Crescent remains closed until Friday due to downed trees. Detour via SRs 112 & 113 pic.twitter.com/37F6A5XS3B
— WSDOT Tacoma Traffic (@wsdot_tacoma) November 7, 2014
Puget Sound Energy reported scattered outages throughout the afternoon, mainly in the north Sound.
The Washington State Ferry system cancelled a number of sailings between Port Townsend and Coupeville because of high winds.
If there are 50 mph gusts sustained for 15 minutes, the Washington State Department of Transportation will close the 520 bridge across Lake Washington.
Johnny Berg, meteorologist with the NWS, said after the wind blows through, temperatures will drop to the lower 40s to mid-30s Friday night.
“It’ll also be dry during that time,” Berg said, adding that those colder temperatures are most likely in the southwest interior, which isn’t abnormal for the Olympia area this time of year.
Temperatures will warm back up and the rain will return before the start of next week.
