SEATTLE – Strong winds and heavy rain walloped the Pacific Northwest, leaving thousands without power as utility crews prepare for what's expected to be a rougher storm on Saturday.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning early Friday for Pacific County in southwest Washington state. The warning at 4:30 a.m. was in response to a strong thunderstorm that moved to the area. Officials later cancelled the warning.
The heavy rain created dangerous conditions for the morning commute, as drivers tried to see out rain-pounded windshields and navigate through standing water on the roads.
In Oregon, Portland General Electric reported that more than 4,000 customers were without power at 5 a.m. Friday. Pacific Power reported that 2,800 customers in coastal communities had no lights, down from a peak of more than 15,000.
Portland had the rainiest Oct. 13 in its history. The National Weather Service says a 103-mph wind gust was recorded at Cape Meares.
In Washington, Puget Sound Energy responded to scattered outages, reporting early Friday that more than 2,800 customers were still affected. Lightning strikes hit the southwest Washington coast Friday morning, and a tornado warning was briefly in effect for Pacific County.
Meteorologists expect a breezy Friday before the remnants of a typhoon hit the region Saturday. Forecasters say wind gusts as high as 70 mph could sweep through Seattle.
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