Weather alert: Strong winds Thursday, some power outages north of Bellingham

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Whatcom County Thursday, Dec. 3, with gusts up to 60 mph expected by late afternmoon and early evening.

The latest forecast, upgraded Thursday morning, “indicates this will be a short but powerful event,” the weather service said. Expect south winds increasing to 25 to 40 mph late this afternoon or early evening, with stronger gusts up to 60 mph. The winds will switch to southwesterly late in the evening.

Wind gusts that strong can lead to property damage and power outages. About 50 Puget Sound Energy customers reported power outages Thursday morning, most of them in the Laurel area just north of Bellingham.

Rain is also in the forecast from Thursday through the weekend, with daytime highs expected in the mid- to low 50s.

Snow is also being reported in the Cascades and over the major mountain passes. Snow forced some schools in the Tri-Cities area to close on Thursday.

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 8:57 AM with the headline "Weather alert: Strong winds Thursday, some power outages north of Bellingham."