The City of Oak Harbor posted this to its Facebook page on 2025-12-12 16:03:12.
WEATHER UPDATE FROM Puget Sound Energy
While rivers continue to recede, there remains flooding in some areas, as well as access issues into the W. Cascade foothills. A drier break will occur today through Saturday and with only a few isolated showers expected, along with light gusts of less than 25 mph for most areas.
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A weather system arrives during the day Sunday w/showers and wind gusts of 15-35 mph. This will be followed by rather strong weather system Monday as another Atmospheric River takes aim at the Pacific Northwest with heavy rain and strong winds.
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The Monday system trended stronger with winds over the past 24-hours and where gusts of 30-50+ mph are becoming increasing likely across much of western Washington, potentially strongest Island, Whatcom, and Skagit Counties. And with snow levels again expected to be quite high Monday and above 7,000 feet, much of the precipitation will fall as rain in the Cascades and where flooding issues could again be a concern. Highs through early next week will be in the mid-50s, while overnight lows will be in the mid-40s. Most importantly, heavy rain and strong wind gusts of 30-50+ mph are currently expected for Monday and will combine with saturated soils and are likely to lead to numerous outages and impacts, including the potential for additional landslides/access issues.
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Severe flooding in our service area continues to create challenges for power restoration. Flooded roads, landslides, and unstable ground conditions are limiting safe access to damaged equipment for our repair crews. Our natural gas infrastructure may also be affected.
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We have temporarily removed Estimated Time of Restoration information from our outage map for affected areas until we can safely assess damage and begin repairs. When our crews gain access and can start assessing damage, they will provide information to be reflected on the outage map as to when to expect restored service. As weather allows, we are using drones and helicopters to patrol unreachable areas by air.
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While weather conditions are currently calm, another round of rain and wind is expected on Monday, which may impact our crews’ ability to continue restoration work safely as well as result in more outages. We are closely monitoring the situation and will adjust our response as needed. We will have crews ready to respond as any new outages occur.
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We appreciate your patience during this time. The safety of our crews and customers is our top priority, and we are committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. We will continue providing updates as our restoration efforts progress.
Safety first:
Never touch or go within 35 feet of downed power lines because they might be energized. Call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911 to report problems.
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In the event of a flood:
– Stay out of flooded basements. Energized wiring or electrical outlets below the water line may pose a hazard.
– Be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning:
Never install or use a generator indoors or in enclosed or partially-enclosed areas, even those that are ventilated. When using your generator outdoors during a power outage, avoid placing it near windows, doors and vents. More generator safety tips: pse.com/en/pages/generator-safety
– Never use a natural gas range for heating, or charcoal as an indoor heating or cooking source.
Additional carbon monoxide safety information: pse.com/en/pages/carbon-monoxide
– Never charge your phone or other devices in a running vehicle with the garage door closed.
– Make sure that natural gas appliances are maintained and operated according to manufacturer recommendations.
– If you’re using portable heaters, keep them away from furniture, draperies and other flammable materials.
Always use flashlights instead of candles.
