The National Weather Service is predicting wind gusts up to 40 mph and the potential for power outages today, Wednesday, and into Thursday as the second in a series of three storms hits the Pacific Northwest.

The wind will likely be accompanied by plenty of rain, and Vashon is expected to receive more than 1.5 inches of rain between Tuesday night and Thursday morning. Characteristic fall weather, with low temperatures, wind and dark clouds, moved into the area Monday, and National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in a weather briefing said that system was a “garden variety” fall storm.

The second, stronger storm is expected today, Wednesday, and should bring strong winds and heavy rain to the Central Coast and Puget Sound areas. The storm is courtesy of an “atmospheric river” — a strong flow of moist, mild air from the southwest. King 5 reports the river will “dump large amounts of rain in the mountains and soak down much of the lowlands as it stalls over us Wednesday into Thursday.”

A third storm is expected over the weekend, though forecasters said Monday it was too early to predict its impacts. The NWS earlier this week shared a satellite image showing a stretch of clouds reaching from China across the Pacific Ocean to the Pacific Northwest.

Islanders are advised to prepare for possible outages by checking batteries in radios, flashlights and cell phones, stocking up on easy-to-cook food and water, preparing to stay warm, making sure cars are filled up with gasoline and checking generators.

To report an outage or check on the status of a current outage, see Puget Sound Energy’s outage map.

For more information on being prepared for storms and other natural disasters, visit vashonbeprepared.org.