'One-Two Punch' Pounds Region With High Winds, Heavy Rain

The first of two powerful storms pounded Western Washington Monday with high winds and soaking rains, causing a huge tree to fall onto two homes, cutting power to thousands of homes and pushing rivers over their banks.

"We’re going to have a sort of one-two punch as these two storms systems come through," said KIRO 7 Chief Meteorologist Rebecca Stevenson.

The second storm threatens possibly damaging 40 mph winds with gusts to 60 mph on Monday night and Tuesday morning from the Washington coast, through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and into Whatcom and Skagit counties. Forecasters said 25 to 35 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph through Tuesday morning in the Puget Sound lowlands, including the Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma, Bremerton, Hood Canal and lower Chehalis Valley.

Winds caused a tree to topple onto two homes in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. A 50-foot cedar tree crashed through the roof of one home at about 3:30 a.m. and sent a branch through another home's living room as the tree split into three pieces. See video

SLIDESHOW: High Winds Slam Tree Into Homes

The falling tree also ripped down a power line.

In Bellingham, where there were gusts of 50 mph, winds caused an outage near the courthouse, sent debris flying down the street and twisted street signs. See video

Power outages caused by high winds closed Bellingham's Western Washington University until noon. See Video.

Puget Sound Energy said that about 5,000 customers were without power Monday afternoon. About 4,000 homes and businesses lost power in Burien and unincorporated King County at about 12:40 p.m. but power was restored to most people by 2 p.m.

Forecasters warned of flooding Monday and Tuesday on the Skokomish, Bogachiel, Satsop rivers and small streams in Clallam, Jefferson, Mason and Grays Harbor counties.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Monday night for the Chehalis and Nooksack rivers and into Wednesday in portions of the Grays Harbor, Clallam, Jefferson, Skagit, Whatcom, Mason and Snohomish counties.

SLIDESHOW: Skokomish River Floods Its Banks UNCUT: Chopper 7 Shows Scope Of Skokomish Flooding UNCUT: Skokomish Floodwaters Cover Roads, Pastures

Along the Skokomish River, reporter Richard Thompson said the river was at flood stage by midday Monday, covering roads. See his video backstory. He said some people in a car got stuck and had to be pushed through floodwaters by a rescue vehicle. He also saw someone rescuing horses from a flooding pasture. See Video.

VIDEO BACKSTORY: Hip Waders Fail Flood Reporter

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There was an overnight mudslide Gig Harbor that destroyed a garage. The slide occurred near the Fox Island Bridge, filling up the garage with mud and ripping off the door and roof. Video from Chopper 7 showed a truck inside the building that was nearly submerged in mud. It was unclear if the slide was caused by heavy rain or a broken water pipe. Read Story.

SLIDESHOW: Gig Harbor Garage Destroyed In Slide

The wind should ease Tuesday afternoon as showers fall through Wednesday.