Strong winds expected Saturday afternoon and evening

After plenty of nice days to start spring, an energetic storm system will bring rain back to the area on Saturday and wind gusts in most areas will be even stronger than experienced on Friday.

The strongest winds will arrive toward daybreak at the coast and gusts over 40mph are likely on the Washington beaches and just inland.

The storm system will be moving quickly, so we'll notice winds rising around interior parts of Western Washington -- including Puget Sound -- by late morning and early afternoon.

Even in interior areas like Tacoma, Seattle and Everett, wind gusts will be in the 30-40 mph range through the afternoon into the evening. Near the water east of Puget Sound wind gusts will likely be even stronger -- in the 40-45mph range. This includes around Elliott Bay and through the northern waters like Island County and the San Juans.

Areas on the west side of Puget Sound will probably get wind gusts in the 35-40mph range, with the wind direction (south-southwesterly) being slightly less threatening.

Still, for most of us, this will be the strongest wind of the spring so far.

While widespread tree damage isn't expected, trees are blooming and/or leafing out and this will create extra wind load on branches and we should expect some isolated power outages, particularly Saturday afternoon and evening.

Rain will continue at times and it stays breezy into Sunday.

Cox Media Group