High wind warning remains in effect Thursday for Kent, rest of region

Published 12:48 pm Thursday, December 11, 2014

High wind warnings for Kent and the rest of the Puget Sound region remain in effect from 4 p.m. on Thursday to about 4 a.m. on Friday.

Winds could rise to 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph this evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The south to southeast winds are likely to first develop across Grays Harbor, Thurston and Pierce counties around 4 p.m. and reach the Kent area around 6 p.m. Winds are expected to ease after midnight.

Winds this strong will topple large trees. Widespread power outages are likely to occur given the saturated soils from recent rains. Strong winds could impact the evening commute, especially from Seattle northward.

A high wind warning means that a hazardous wind event is imminent or occurring, according to the National Weather Service.