SEATTLE (AP) — About 270,000 electric customers around Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia are without power because of a winter storm that coated much of Washington state in ice and swelled Oregon rivers, killing three people.
Most are customers of Puget Sound Energy, which says it could take into the weekend or later to get the power back on for everyone.
The National Weather Service says warming temperatures Friday should melt snow and ice in Western Washington lowlands as the forecast promises the usual rain into next week.
Forecasters say the melting snow could cause urban and small stream flooding and fill the Skokomish and Chehalis rivers above flood stage by Saturday evening. More rain is forecast early next week that could make flooding more of an issue.
