The wind might be frightful in Western Washington this Christmas Eve
Apparently Western Washington is dreaming of a windy Christmas.
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch across the region all day Wednesday, just in time for Christmas Eve.
The Weather Service predicts the day will start out with east to northeast winds of 10 to 20 miles per hour and gusts up to 30 miles per hour. Then, in the afternoon, the winds will "suddenly shift" southerly, with speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour and possible gusts of up to 50 to 60 miles per hour.
If that happens, the Weather Service warns trees and power lines could be blown down and widespread power outages are possible. That could make traffic difficult, especially for higher-profile vehicles.
The high winds could be an especially unpleasant Christmas "gift" to the region, after recent atmospheric rivers caused record-breaking flooding, evacuations, widespread power outages, and road closures.
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The Weather Service has emphasized the uncertainty of the weather system, and encouraged people to monitor forecasts throughout Wednesday to keep up to date on the latest information.
In any case, Puget Sound Energy said Tuesday it's preparing for potential high winds — and advised their customers do the same.
"We know how important the holidays are for spending time with loved ones, and how disruptive it is to be without power, especially after many of you lost power last week," PSE said in a statement on its website. "We are watching the forecast closely and getting ready so we can respond quickly if outages occur."
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