A line of storms is bringing gusty winds and possible flooding to western Washington

STATE OF WASHINGTON – After a very wet start to Veterans Day with blustery winds, more scattered showers are expected throughout the afternoon.

This rainy, unsettled weather with periodic gusts of wind will continue until Tuesday.

The National Weather Service has issued multiple warnings and advisories across Western Washington as weather conditions are expected to improve.

On Monday afternoon, the NWS issued a wind advisory that will go into effect Tuesday afternoon and remain in effect through Wednesday morning for southerly winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 45 mph. They expect the areas of Bellevue, Bremerton, the East Puget Sound lowlands, Everett, Seattle and the Tacoma area to be affected.

The NWS says there is a flood watch in place for Mason County that will last overnight. Runoff may cause flooding of rivers and flood-prone areas, including the Skokomish River.

A rolling winter weather advisory will continue through Tuesday for the slopes of the North Cascades and Passes in eastern Skagit and Whatcom counties and western Okanogan County, according to the NWS. Falling snow at elevations of 4,000 feet and above may make travel difficult on State Route 20 and Washington Pass. There is a chance of a few inches of snow accumulating at Stevens Pass, while snow may mix with rain at Snoqualmie Pass through Tuesday.

The NWS also has an ongoing warning for small boats for dangerous navigation in coastal waters, as well as in the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. A high surf warning goes into effect overnight for Pacific County for breaking waves of 20 feet on beaches.

A second system will arrive Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, the NWS said. It will bring even heavier rains and stronger wind gusts to the Pacific Coast and Whidbey and San Juan Islands. By Thursday, rainfall totals may exceed 2 to 4 inches in western Clallam, Jefferson, Mason and Grays Harbor counties. 1 to 5 inches of precipitation is forecast around Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellingham and Everett.

According to the NWS, stormwater runoff increases the risk of minor river flooding for water flowing from the Olympic and Cascade Mountains through Thursday.

With this next system, the amount of snow in the mountains will increase Wednesday evening and Thursday, reaching well over a foot near the peaks of our local ski resorts. We will continue to monitor any additional mountain snow advisories or warnings issued.

While the weather is still unsettled and rainy, it will bring us less active weather through the end of the week and another shower is expected on Sunday. The colder air from this weekend storm system may cause snow levels to drop below 3,000 feet by Sunday. We will be keeping an eye on Snoqualmie Pass to check for possible winter road conditions.

Strong storms and winds can cause downed power lines and power outages. The Washington State Department of Health is offering residents several tips on how to prepare for a power outage and stay safe.

Follow this link for information on what to do before and during a power outage.