‘We could have a perfect storm’: Another system threatens area struck by Port Orchard tornado

Dec. 20--PORT ORCHARD -- Emergency personnel scoured a neighborhood near Port Orchard on Wednesday, inspecting homes damaged in the strongest tornado to hit the state since 1986.

The EF-2 twister carried peak winds of 120 to 130 mph and traveled 1.4 miles, according to the National Weather Service. It was 250-300 yards wide.

No serious injuries were reported.

Teams of structural engineers, utility workers and city and county officials went door to door Wednesday to assess the structural integrity of hundreds of buildings, according to Kitsap County sheriff's spokesman Scott Wilson. As many as 250 structures were damaged.

Residents anxiously awaited word that they could get back into their homes to secure them before another windstorm was forecast to move through Western Washington on Thursday.

"The big bad wolf came in and blew a couple down, and now we've got another weather front on the way," Wilson said.

Once officials gave the go-ahead, residents returned to their homes and started cleaning up. The vehicles of roofing and tree-cutting companies, home restorers and insurance adjusters filled the streets.

Residents gaped at the damage, took pictures and talked about how lucky they all were among the debris and snapped and uprooted trees.

"I just can't believe that no one was seriously injured. I'm so thankful," said Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu at a news briefing Wednesday.

John Mueller, whose roof was ripped from his house, spent Wednesday with his family salvaging what they could from their home. He said had been stunned by the degree of devastation but so thankful that his four children, three dogs, cat and rabbit survived.

"I'm so grateful," he said. "It could have been so much worse."

Wilson, from the sheriff's office, credited fate.

"To some degree it was right time, right place and pure luck," he said. "Santa Claus looking over us, maybe ... call it the 'Miracle on Bethel Avenue.' "

Wilson and other officials are bracing, however, for the next windstorm heading their way.

"With the rain-soaked ground and trees that are already susceptible, we could have a perfect storm," he said. "We're going as fast as we can, but we know we won't be able to get everyone back in their home by tonight (Wednesday)."

The National Weather Service issued a high-wind warning across Western Washington for Thursday into the evening. Winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are forecast.

"Winds will increase rapidly Thursday morning with the strongest gusts expected for a few hours Thursday afternoon," the warning says.

South Kitsap Fire and Rescue assistant chief Jeff Faucett said the initial assessments, which started Tuesday night, had been focused on finding anyone who was injured and determining the integrity of structures. Originally, officials estimated that as many as 450 structures could have been damaged by the tornado, but later reduced that count to 250.

The weather service sent a team to the area to determine the extent of damage and intensity of the tornado.

Faucett said the city has been overwhelmed with offers of help from volunteers wanting to do "whatever they could" to alleviate the damage.

Putaansuu said though many people want to help, he asked those who want to donate time, services or household goods to be patient.

"On the cusp of the holidays, of course we want to help our friends and neighbors put their lives back together," he said.

The American Red Cross Northwest said it opened a shelter at Saint Gabriel church that will remain open for people to sleep, get out of the rain or charge their phones. Financial donations made to the Red Cross NW in response to the tornado will remain local, said Leigh Kamasz, executive director of the Red Cross for the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas.

By midday, it seemed that every resident in the Huntington neighborhood, where the tornado hit, was outside wearing work gloves and wielding chain saws to clear properties of fallen trees.

Destiny Menear said her neighbors showed up with chain saws as soon as it was safe and started cutting up the trees that fell in her yard.

"They didn't even ask, they just started," she said.

Curtis Sampson said he listened to trees crack and fall around him during the twister. The redwood tree in his yard narrowly missed falling on his neighbor's child's bedroom.

"We've never had to pitch in during an act of God like this, but the feeling is, we can do this, we can clean this up," he said.

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