Published October 14 2016
With the first round of wind and rain winding down, emergency officials are advising residents to brace for the wallop of a potentially bigger, more damaging storm expected to arrive on Saturday.The revised forecast includes a high wind warning starting at 3 p.m. Saturday and lasting until 2 a.m. Sunday.
In response, Bellevue officials cancelled the annual Fire Department open houses scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Also, the public is advised to stay inside and avoid parks, trails and open space. Residents should be prepared for possible damage from falling trees and branches, downed power lines and the resulting power outages.
The local forecast calls for winds 20-35 mph and gusts near 60 late Saturday afternoon and early evening. The wind is expected to taper off later in the evening.
City crews continue to be on stand-by status around the clock, ready to respond to emergencies if needed. Bellevue officials announced the following parks closures and cancellations:
- Athletic fields scheduled by the City of Bellevue will be closed Saturday and Sunday;
- Visitor centers and the South Bellevue Community Center will close early, at 3 p.m. on Saturday;
- Events scheduled on Saturday afternoon and evening at Bellevue's community centers will be cancelled.
Information to help residents prepare for and ride out a possible storm includes:
- Get ready: Information is available on the city's Emergency Preparedness web pages; winter preparedness tips are available at Take Winter by Storm;
- For updated information, check the city's Extreme Weather Response web page and the city's Twitter page;
- Continue to clear storm drains of leaves and debris near your home or business, weather permitting. Most street flooding is caused by clogged storm drain grates;
- Only call 911 for life-threatening emergencies. Call Bellevue Utilities at 425-452-7840 if your home or office is in danger of flooding; call the same number to report trees in the roadway;
- Call Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 to report a power outage; you can report online and see a current outage map at PSE;
- If you lose power, to prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide, NEVER use a gas or charcoal grill indoors, and NEVER use a generator indoors, only outdoors far from open windows or vents; and
- When driving, if the power is out and traffic signals are not working, treat the intersection as a four-way stop. If a street is flooded, do not attempt to drive through standing water.
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