High winds hit region Friday; Easter weekend is wet

By Dean Radford • April 1, 2010 8:40 pm
The famous 'Interface' sculpture crafted by Philip Levine in 1984 at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park is often dressed appropriately for the season. But the three in their spring attire got caught in Friday's nasty windstorm. And the man got caught with his pants down.
The famous 'Interface' sculpture crafted by Philip Levine in 1984 at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park is often dressed appropriately for the season. But the three in their spring attire got caught in Friday's nasty windstorm. And the man got caught with his pants down.

A powerful early spring storm is roaring through Western Washington, just in time to dampen the Easter weekend and egg hunts.

The high winds didn’t affect operations at Renton Municipal Airport, said airport manager Ryan Zulauf. Airport workers did some checking to make sure airplanes were securely tied down, he said.

The storm is bringing gale warnings to the coast, with winds gusting to 65 mph. Sustained winds of 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph hit Central Puget Sound starting before noon, bringing with them rain.

Trees have begun to leaf out, so there is a greater likelihood of downed limbs and trees, according to the National Weather Service.

The winds will taper off in the afternoon. Some power outages were reported.

The Cascade mountains could get between 1 and 3 feet of new snow this weekend. Traffic over Snoqualmie Pass was snarled with spinouts in heavy snow. Motorists have more time – until April 10 – to get their studded tires removed.

Highs Friday are expected in the 40s. Breezy conditions will continue Friday night.

Saturday, there is a chance of showers, with mostly cloudy skies, with temperatures in the 40s and lower 50s. The Sunday forecast is similar.

Anyone headed over the Cascades or into the Olympics should prepare for winter driving conditions, according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.