UPDATE: Hundreds on Bainbridge still without power Saturday, area braces for next storm

More than 400 homes on Bainbridge Island were still without power following a fierce rain and windstorm that rolled across Western Washington Friday.

More than 400 homes on Bainbridge Island were still without power following a fierce rain and windstorm that rolled across Western Washington Friday.

According to Puget Sound Energy, more than 200 customers were without electricity in the Port Blakely area, and another 144 homes were dark south of Manzanita just after 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

A total of 424 PSE customers remained without power on the island mid-morning Saturday.

Across Western Washington, PSE reported a total of 5,988 customers were without power at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 15.

Other neighborhoods without power on Bainbridge include 28 homes along NE Spargur Loop Road on the south shore of Port Madison and 66 homes in the area near NE Hidden Cove Road.

Smaller outages were reported in Madrona Heights, and in neighborhoods along Silvan Avenue NE, north of Manitou Beach, near Battle Point Park, south of Eagle Harbor, and in the South Beach area.

Strong winds kept emergency responders busy Friday and into the night. At times, traffic signals on Highway 305 went dark and multiple roads were closed due to fallen trees.

Reports of downed trees and power lines continued through Saturday morning.

Assistant Chief Luke Carpenter of the Bainbridge Island Fire Department said the department received 28 calls in the 24-hour period stretching from 6:30 a.m. Friday to 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

“Power lines down, EMS calls, service calls,” Carpenter said; the usual that come during big storms.

Thousands of people across the state, from the Canadian border to south of the state capital, lost power during Friday’s storm. The Hood Canal Bridge was closed to high winds Friday afternoon for nearly three hours.

The region is bracing for another major windstorm — an even bigger one — Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Puget Sound that will be in effect from 3 p.m. Saturday through 2 a.m. Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, Washington will be hit with a strong storm Saturday afternoon through the evening, with southerly winds of 20 to 45 mph expected, along with wind gusts of 65 to 70 mph.

The forecast for Bainbridge Island predicts winds from the south of 15 to 24 mph, with more than a half inch of rain.

The strongest winds are expected between 5 and 10 p.m. Saturday.

Carpenter, of the Bainbridge Island Fire Department, said islanders should stay safe and remain indoors during the storm.

“When the wind starts blowing — stay inside,” Carpenter said. “With all of the rain we’ve had, now the ground is saturated and it’s easier for trees and branches to come down.”

Additional emergency responders were called into action Friday on Bainbridge, and Carpenter said the department is well-prepared for Saturday’s second storm.

“We’re up-staffed today as well; all three of our stations have firefighters in them.

“We’ve prepared ourselves. All of our stations have generators; we can stay up and running even if the power goes out,” he said.