Kitsap County is bracing for a second consecutive La Niña winter, with a wet start and cold finish forecast for the Puget Sound region.

“Get prepared for these storms in advance,” said Ted Buechner, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Kitsap County and the City of Port Orchard have started preparing for the anticipated storms.

“(Port Orchard) updated our snow route map, and we’ve entered an agreement with Kitsap County, with a little bit of road swapping,” said Mark Dorsey, the city’s public works director and engineer.

The county’s Department of Emergency Management is also promoting the Take Winter by Storm campaign to encourage local residents to prepare for the storms.

The campaign, sponsored by local businesses and government agencies, encourages individuals and families to create emergency preparedness

kits — each with a three-day supply of nonperishable food and water – for homes, offices and vehicles, as well as “evacuation go-kits.”

The campaign also encourages families to plan an evacuation route and practice it, then stay informed when storms could be approaching.

The La Niña storms could cause heavy rainfall in autumn, which could lead to mudslides. Major snowstorms could follow in winter months.

There have been five back-to-back La Niñas in the past 60 years, Buechner said.

“Nobody can really say if it’s going to be harsh or not,” said Susan May, a public information officer for Kitsap County Emergency Management, although “the chances are higher of having one or two nasty things happen.”