North Seattle preps for wild weather with tree maintenance, emergency crews on standby
SEATTLE — Some areas at risk for damaging hail and wind on Wednesday are the same spots that got hammered by November’s bomb cyclone.
While standing in the sunshine, people around the Matthews Beach area in North Seattle reacted to a thunderstorm watch.
“We have huge trees around here, so that is definitely a concern. But, I’m not worried, personally,” stated neighbor Frank Lopez.
RELATED | Severe thunderstorm watch issued for parts of western Washington
It’s the same area where people recall the devastating bomb cyclone that toppled trees and temporarily busy NE 35th Street. They’re hopeful their neighborhood is more prepared for the coming storm, which is expected to bring wild winds and possibly hail.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of western Washington through 9 p.m. Wednesday. The watch includes King, Pierce, Lewis and Thurston counties. The storm system is forecast to reach the Oregon-Washington border around 5 p.m. Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL FORECAST
Construction work is ongoing on some people’s roofs, though most yards are clear of debris and prepped for big weather events.
Seattle Tree Care Production Manager Mike Lair explained his company has been swamped since it helped people clear debris in November. He detailed how people can better prep their yards, like pruning weak branches, and what to do after the storm.
“Get out there and look up in the canopy, make sure there’s nothing broken or hanging up there,” Lair explained.
Neighbors pointed out the sidewalks where the Seattle Department of Transportation confirms it took out unstable trees and poured new concrete after the bomb cyclone. The agency estimates it removed approximately 160 trees in total.
Some neighbors told KOMO News they plan to stay home during the storm. One man seemed most concerned about potentially losing power.
“If we had power outages last time, we’re going to have them again this time,” Lopez added.
ALSO SEE | How to report a power outage and ways to stay safe
As for storm preparations, SDOT Deputy Press Secretary Miriam Ali wrote crews are “on standby and ready to respond to any downed trees, traffic signal issues or other hazards.”
People who notice fallen trees or debris blocking streets or sidewalks are asked to call SDOT at (206) 684-ROAD (7623).
