The forecast for tomorrow night into Wednesday now calls for rain “heavy at times” plus fairly serious wind (up to 45 mph). And that explains why this advisory came in from Seattle City Light – some of it you’ve heard before, but worth revisiting at the start of winter storm season:

A winter storm developing off the West Coast is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the Seattle area Tuesday and Wednesday, which could lead to some scattered power outages.

Seattle City Light is monitoring the storm and preparing crews for the possibility of outages. The utility also encourages its customers to be prepared. In the event of a large-scale outage or a natural disaster, residents should be ready to fend for themselves for at least three days.

One of the best preparation steps is to assemble an emergency kit with at least three days of food and water for each person in the family and any family pets. Other items to include are a hand-crank or battery-operated flashlight and radio, fresh batteries, a survival blanket, a first aid kit, pocket tissues and hand sanitizer wipes. For a complete list of what to include in an emergency kit, please visit www.govlink.org/3days3ways.

Winds in the approaching storm are expected to reach sustained levels of 30 mph with gusts of up to 45 mph in the Seattle area. At those levels, the storm could cause damage to Seattle City Light’s system. Utility officials continue to track the storm so they can bring in additional resources as needed.

In the event of an outage:

• Beware of deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. NEVER use generators or portable grills indoors, even in a garage. Always use them outdoors with plenty of ventilation to avoid toxic fumes.
• Have contact sources who are outside of the area and who can give you up-dated information from City Light’s Web site.
• Use the portable, battery-operated radio from your emergency kit for the latest outage information.
• Cell phones are useful during an outage. They can be re-charged with a manual, hand-cranked recharger or a battery powered recharger. A telephone that operates on a hard wire (land line) can be useful too. Cordless phones won’t work if there is a power outage.
• Check your circuit breaker or a fuse box first. Learn how to reset the circuit breaker or safely change a fuse, and keep proper spares.
• Look around the neighborhood to see if your neighbor’s lights are off.
• Call Customer Service at (206) 684-3000 to report the outage or call the Power Outage Hotline at (206) 684-7400 to hear a recorded message about current outages and power restoration updates. If your neighborhood is not listed, then stay on the line to provide your address and additional information.
• Use battery-powered flashlights for illumination. Avoid candles, oil lamps or anything with an open flame.
• Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible to keep food fresh. A full refrigerator will maintain safe temperatures for up to six hours; a full freezer for up to two days. Discard at-risk refrigerated foods that are warmer than 45 degrees F. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Check your home alarm system. Some home alarm systems are triggered by power outages.
• Use hot water sparingly. Most hot water tanks will retain heat for up to 24 hours.
• Unplug or turn off sensitive electronic equipment to protect it from power surges.
• Locate and use the manual override for your electric garage doors or gates.
• Leave one or two lights on to alert you that service is restored.
• When power is restored, turn on electrical appliances gradually. Sudden heavy consumption can drain the electrical system and extend the outage.