SEATTLE — Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo closed Thursday afternoon as a safety precaution due to high winds that knocked out power to thousands of people in the city and surrounding areas.
Around 12:30 p.m., the National Weather Service reported wind gusts as high as 38 miles per hour in Seattle. Other areas throughout western Washington were experiencing wind gusts in the 20s.
Seattle City Light reported around 18,000 customers were without power by mid-day. That number was down to about 1,000 by 11 p.m.
Puget Sound Energy reported more than 12,000 customers without power by 2 p.m. There were fewer than 500 customers without power by 11 p.m.
Snohomish PUD reported around 700 without power by 2 p.m. That increased to about 1,100 by 4 p.m. before dropping to about 300 by 11 p.m.
The gusty autumn Thursday kept utility crews busy across western Washington as they cleaned up damage left behind on power poles and roadways.
As of Thursday night, the power was still out in one Bellevue neighborhood near 104th Avenue and 10th Street. That's because earlier, the wind caused a tree to come down on two cars of a daughter and father, who live in the quiet community.
"I heard a loud bang. And I went outside and I was like, 'my car!' So then I go outside. There's wires blocking my entrance," said Stephanie Muñoz, whose car was beneath the fallen tree. "I saw the tree on top of both of my cars... I was mad."
Her neighbor's tree had toppled across the street, on top of her and her dad's cars, but, luckily, "the cables, like, broke the fall," she said.
Meanwhile, in Northeast Seattle, power in the area near Lake City Way and 95th Street went out just before noon Thursday, but only briefly, according to a business owner.
Nick Vacca, owner of Wesco Autobody Supply, told KING 5, "This is pretty crazy."
Authorities closed Lake City Way, the main artery Vacca's shop sits on, for several hours into the evening Thursday, in both directions between 95th and 98th Streets.
That's because high winds caused a tree to fall into the roadway, bringing power lines down with it.
"Traffic, people going home and whatnot, it's, it's-- really a mess right now," said Vacca, around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
The wind started picking up between 8-9 a.m. after the majority of the rain moved out, according to KING 5 Meteorologist Adam Claibon.
According to the National Weather Service, the wind is expected to stick around through at least a portion of the afternoon as a cold front moves through.
Gusts are expected to decrease to 15-20 mph with sustained winds of 10-15 mph Thursday night.
Quieter weather is expected during the day Friday. Another system is expected to move in Friday night which will bring stronger winds.
The region typically sees winds pick up after a low-pressure system moves through, according to Claibon. As low pressure moves through and high-pressure moves in, the wind rushes to fill the difference between high and low pressure, creating a stirring in the air.
Since the wind has caused so many leaves to fall, and with it, we’re seeing chances of rain this week, it’s important to heed warnings from officials who say to safely rake and clear leaves from your storm drain and throw them out in your regular garbage. That's because clogged drains, officials warn, can lead to flooding.
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