Just as a wind advisory for the area was about to expire at midnight, a large boom echoed through the blustery night in the 700 block of 13th Ave E as reports of power outages in the area followed. The outage hasn’t yet shown up on the City Light Status map but should soon as the automated system records the service issue. We’ll update as events warrant but the good news is the wind is supposed to let up over the coming hours (UPDATE: Advisory has been extended to 4a). In the meantime, about 7,500 customers are reported to be without power in the area following the windy night.

EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-EVERETT AND VICINITY- 910 PM PST TUE JAN 24 2012 …WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT… * SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…BELLEVUE…EVERETT. * TIMING…GUSTY WINDS THIS EVENING WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH AFTER MIDNIGHT. * WIND…SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS 45 MPH. * IMPACTS…LOCAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES…WITH SMALL TREES POSSIBLY BEING TOPPLED DUE TO SATURATED SOILS OR RECENT ICE DAMAGE. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. FALLING TREES AND TREE LIMBS COULD CAUSE INJURY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS OF 45 TO 57 MPH ARE LIKELY.

The boom — also heard loud and clear at CHS HQ — sounded like explosions described in the past in the area involving power lines or transformers. SPD was called out to investigate the sound and also reported the power outage, according to SPD dispatch radio reports.

If residents along 13th Ave E are a little jumpy lately regarding booms in the night, it’s understandable. A man was arrested after “testing” his gun in the area earlier this month.