Cliff Mass: Wash. could get hit by potentially biggest storm this winter

Saturday night's storm could be the biggest of the winter so far. Power outages are also likely, according to NWS. Saturday night's storm could be the biggest of the winter so far. Power outages are also likely, according to NWS. Photo: Courtesy Of National Weather Service Photo: Courtesy Of National Weather Service Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Cliff Mass: Wash. could get hit by potentially biggest storm this winter 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

The National Weather Service announced a storm system would be swirling into Washington Saturday night and stay through Sunday morning. University of Washington Professor Cliff Mass projected in his blog that it could be the biggest storm so far this winter.

"Very strong winds, with gusts to 50-80 mph, will move up the Oregon coast this evening and then pummel western WA in the morning hours, ending with a powerful surge of westerly winds in the Strait," Mass said in his blog.

RELATED: Storm spinning off Calif. coast likely to hit Seattle area Saturday

NWS said in a news release Saturday that gusts could reach up to 50 mph in the Seattle-area and along the Interstate 5 corridor.

https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/1081666804760612864

NWS updated the reach of the storm Saturday to the lower Chehalis Valley.

Snow levels could also reach 2000 feet Saturday, according to NWS.

Both Mass and NWS are calling for power outages. Mass said that outages may not be as severe as those in December because of the resulting pruning efforts, but he expects "tens of thousands will lose power over the region."