The Northwest Is Getting It Now !!! - Winds Up To 129 MPH Pound Northwest

[WillyT]

<snip>

OLYMPIA, Washington (AP) -- A powerful Pacific storm battered the Northwest on Monday, blocking roads near the coast with fallen trees and flooding, blacking out thousands of customers and icing up mountain highways. Mudslides halted north-south Amtrak passenger train service between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Wind gusts to 100 mph were reported along the Oregon coast, with the highest reading at 129 mph at Bay City, the National Weather Service said. It said gusts hit 81 mph at Hoquiam, Washington.

A second blast expected later Monday could be the strongest storm coming ashore since 1999, weather service meteorologists said, issuing the region's first warning for hurricane-force wind.

The first wave of severe weather in the Northwest was expected to reach the Upper Midwest with snow on Tuesday, the weather service in Minneapolis, Minnesota, said. That region was battered by an ice and snow storm Saturday.

Most major roads in southwest Washington's Grays Harbor and Pacific counties were closed, and at one point early Monday nearly every road into Aberdeen, Washington, was closed. Watch winds blowing in Oregon »

"In 30 years of law enforcement, it's as bad as I've ever seen," said Grays Harbor County Sheriff Michael J. Whelan, whose own truck was smashed in his driveway by a falling tree.

All highways were closed Monday into Tillamook, Oregon, and people were evacuated from some motels and two recreational vehicle parks, Sheriff Todd Anderson said.

Drenching rain coupled with heavy snow melting in the mountains brought flood warnings for numerous rivers across western Washington and northwest Oregon.

"This has the shapings of a major problem in terms of the number of rivers that are potentially going to flood," said Rob Harper, spokesman for Washington's Emergency Management Division.

<snip>

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/weather/12/03/storms.northwest.ap/index.html




Everybody be careful out there.

:grouphug:

[MADem]

1. Mother of PEARL...that sumbitch looks like it is undulating eastward!!! nt

[Mythsaje]

2. Well, we have a serious pineapple express going on here

in the Puget Sound. Temps have jumped nearly twenty degrees in the past couple days. And we had a pretty serious windstorm (my estimate is gust of about 45 to 50) yesterday morning.

I've been saying for quite a while that the shifting weather patterns could well start bringing tropical storms our direction.

[slackmaster]

4. You beat me to it

Pineapple Express with a vengeance. We're expecting heavy surf starting tomorrow here in SoCal.

[Kajsa]

11. And we may get rain again late Friday- Saturday.

Wow- two rain fronts for SoCal in one week?

Yes!! :D

[aquart]

28. Explain to the easterner: What is a "pineapple express"?

[WillyT]

31. Check Post #17, Right Below !!!

Usually, warm wet storms that stretch from the Hawaiian Islands to the west coast.

Sometimes lasting for days on end.

:shrug:

[WillyT]

35. Further Explanation:

Pineapple Express is a non-technical, shorthand term popular in the news media for a meteorological phenomenon which is characterized by a strong and persistent flow of atmospheric moisture and associated heavy rainfall from the waters adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands and extending to any location along the Pacific coast of North America. The Pineapple Express is driven by a strong, southern branch of the Polar jetstream and is usually marked by the presence of a surface frontal boundary which is typically either slow or stationary, with waves of low pressure traveling along its axis. Each of these low pressure systems brings enhanced rainfall.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple_Express

And don't forget the Madden-Julian oscillation!


How the Madden-Julian oscillation can
induce a Pineapple Express.

:hi:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

44. WillyT explained the technical definition.

Usually they come after Veterans day, when there has been snow in the hills. With all that warm air and rain, the snow pack melts and you get an awful lot of flooding.

[WillyT]

17. Here's A Picture Of It, Straight From Hawaii To Here !!!

For the looping version, go here: http://www.kcra.com/wxmap/4290835/detail.html

:hi:

[Sancho]

3. The biggest storm hasn't hit yet!

What until the insurance companies get through with you over the next 5 years! Been there.

[Breeze54]

5. Winter has arrived! I heard 109 MPH winds in NW but

not 129 MPH! Yikes!! Be careful driving there, if you live there!

We're supposed to be getting high winds tonight on the east coast but not that bad!

On edit:

Er... the winds have arrived. My older metal casing west facing windows are now rattling.

There's a distinct cold draft flowing through my house too now. Time to batten down the hatches!

[earth mom]

6. The wind is freaking me out-gusts of 50 mph where I am. I am SO glad I'm not on the coast...

but am sending good vibes that way and keeping fingers crossed that it's over soon!

:scared:

[Breeze54]

10. What state are you in?

:shrug: Up north?

[Howardx]

7. just talked to my dad in bellevue

lots of rain , some localized flooding but the wind isnt nearly as bad as it is on the coast.

[gateley]

21. My brother's work closed on Willows Road in Redmond because the parking

lot was "a lake". Check out the pics on www.seattletimes.com

My brother (in Seattle) said it wasn't windy there, either. I don't know if they're expecting it to move in from the coast or not...


EDIT -- He came around the Lake instead of over 520 when he came home -- said a few of the roads had been closed.

[Howardx]

22. not surprising

thats a giant flood plain down there.

[gateley]

27. I actually used to work on Willows, too - different location, but both our jobs

were by the golf course. And you're right -- kind of a big, shallow bowl kind of feeling.

[Howardx]

32. i know that area well

i live in long beach ca now but i grew up on the eastside.

[gateley]

41. Do you miss it? We grew up over in Laurelhurst -- by Children's Hospital

in Seattle -- and I'm YEARNING to get back 'home'. I promised myself I'll be spending next Christmas there. (I'm in NC now)

[Howardx]

43. i miss family and friends

i spent 38 years there and it was time for a change. i love living in socal and not worrying much about weather!

[gateley]

45. Yes. That would be a BIG difference! nt

[MissB]

8. The storm yesterday took down the largest Sitka spruce tree in the US.

Well, it knocked it down enough so that it is no longer the largest one.

http://www.katu.com/news/12043736.html

After surviving 700 years of storms, the nation's largest Sitka spruce, just outside of Seaside, snapped in half high above the ground.

The Sitka spruce was badly damaged during a windstorm last year and officials had pondered cutting it down, but they decided to let nature have the final say and on Sunday, it did

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. That was sad. Great landmark destroyed. It's like the Old Man in the Mountain.

[Mr_Monday]

9. Yeah, it's pretty bad here.

The roads getting all flooded and stuff. Classes just got canceled, so I'm browsing DU for the day.

[malaise]

12. Stay safe DUers

:grouphug:

[Rex]

14. Three cells on the lakes blowing it east like a horn.

Ouch. Stay warm.

[Kajsa]

15. Please be careful, all of you in the Pacific NW.

Be safe!

:grouphug:

[Breeze54]

20. What about us in the North East?

:P

We're also being pummeled by freezing rain, snow, sleet, and high winds!

Severe Weather

15 counties are now under advisories, watches, or severe weather warnings.

Wind Advisory:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/severeweather/946896/detail.html

Issued at: 3:57 PM EST 12/3/07, expires at: 12:00 AM EST 12/4/07

wind advisory remains in effect until 7 am est Tuesday

Winds will be strongest on cape cod and the islands, where gusts over 50 mph are expected tonight.
Along the rest of the coast including boston and providence, gusts of 45 to 50 mph are likely.
Farther inland including the connecticut valley, wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected.
There is the potential for downed tree limbs and isolated power outages due to icing on trees and wires.
The strong winds will persist through tonight, before gradually subsiding Tuesday morning.

;)

[Kajsa]

33. Oh No!

I'm so sorry!!:blush:

You up in the NE be very careful too!

I sure didn't mean to exclude you.

:hug: :grouphug:

[Breeze54]

34. I'm just messing with you.

:P

But we do have some strong winds tonight but not as bad as the NW!

:hug:

[Kajsa]

37. I know, Breeze.

You've got a great sense of humor.

Bundle up and hunker down!( Is that how it goes?)

:hug:

[Uncle Joe]

16. Everybody, take care.

:grouphug:

[tridim]

18. I hope the jetstream stays up there..

We have absolutely gorgeous weather right now in Denver.

Stay safe NW.

[WillyT]

19. Yep... It's Sunny, Warm, And Calm Here In Sacramento, But...

We're supposed to have this thing come through tonight and\or tomorrow!

:scared:

[hayu_lol]

23. Where I am is shielded by the Cascades...

Had some light snow early Sunday morning and then the temp came up. Early this morning, it was dry and about 44. Night temps have been in the 10-15 range. Very light winds and some light rain right now.

Klamath Falls OR...about 27 miles north of California.

The Cascades block many of these storms from us. You can see that on the radar maps. They get stuck over Portland however.

Trees, particularly on the Oregon coast do not put down deep root systems. They are not needed for water. Winds, we don't have much of so trees are vulnerable to any sort of wind.

This part of Oregon is high desert actually. Not much rain.

[Mythsaje]

25. Sac's a good distance from the coast...

hopefully you won't get hit too hard.

I lived there for a time in my youth...mixed memories. But I know I still have people I care about in the area.

Stay safe.

[WillyT]

30. One The One Hand, We Need The Rain...

Both rivers are low, as are the reservoirs. And since we have plenty of capacity, I'm not concerned about the levees at this point.

Plus, after watching what happened to New Orleans, the Governator cut loose funds to upgrade the 100 miles of levees around the area. It's not finished, but it does make one feel a bit better.

On the other hand, if the capacity were at full with a storm like this, the levees would be in some jeopardy, as high winds and high water is the combo that tends to make them fail.

Anywho, we'll take the rain for now.

PS. Sacramento is a weird little place. Sometimes I hate it, sometimes I love it. But, if you take out a map of California, and put a pin in Sacramento, and draw a circle with a 100 mile radius around good 'ole Sac, there are positively thousands of things do do on the weekends!

I've always joked that Sacramento is the best city in the world to get away from, LOL!!!

:hi:

[Mythsaje]

38. I used to go to San Francisco on the weekends

just to get away. LOL

So I know what you mean.

[kineneb]

54. north-west of you- 7:58 pm - pouring rain

no wind, yet.
(Lake Co.)

[WillyT]

55. Thanks For The Heads-Up !!!

:hi:

[SeattleGirl]

24. Just got off the phone with my mother-in-law in Ocean Shores, about

20 miles from Aberdeen. Their power went out about 11:00 last night. Said it could be 5 days or so before they get it back. They have a generator, thank god, because my father-in-law is on oxygen right now. He has one type of delivery system that doesn't need electricity, but that doesn't last all that long. My MIL had difficulty getting the generator going, so today, one of their neighbors came over and helped her get it started.

She talked to the company that supplies the oxygen tanks, (located in Aberdeen), and they can't get to Ocean Shores. They said if push came to shove, to check with the Ocean Shores fire department, which isn't too far from where my in-laws live, to see if they have any tanks my FIL could use.

Damn, I am SO glad that they have that generator. When they sold the house they had in the Seattle area a few years ago, they almost sold it to the man who bought the house, because it's heavy and cumbersome to move, but the decided to keep it. I'm very glad they did.

[pdxmom]

26. I live in the suburbs west of Portland, and we're bad, but not nearly

as bad as the coast. When I left the house this morning, we'd had over 3" of rain in the past 24 hours and Beaver Creek was only about a foot below the road. Hope I can get home tonight. Our top wind gust last night was about 52 mph. Listening to the giant fir trees across the street pop and crack is kind of disconcerting. Everything at my house is battened down, but the neighbors haven't faired so well.

Should continue until later tonight and then we've got the flooding to contend with for another day or two, from what they're saying.

[Blue_In_AK]

29. I don't know if it's the same weather system

but Alaska has been pounded with strong winds the past couple of days, too.

[lovuian]

36. Down here in Texas we call that a Hurricane Type 1

Northwest take care
that kinda has a twirly motion of a hurricane in it

[sentelle]

40. grew up on the east coast.

I currently live on Bainbridge Island (Between Seattle and the Olympics).
Snow was something else on Saturday/Sunday. Lot of water pooling on the highways.
Wind is creating a problem for some of the bridges. The main bridge between the Eastside/Seattle/Kitsap peninsula is stuck in the up position (Hood Canal Bridge), Wind advisory on the Tacoma Narrows (When you think Tacoma Narrows, think Galloping Gertie). It was fun coming into work, going home will be even more fun, as I will be going home on a bicycle.

and no, its not really like a hurricane. Here you are not getting those 75+ mile winds being sustained over any length of time. Its just very gusty. I watch people with umbrellas and chuckle, as I see the winds snap them like twigs.

Last year on the other hand during the Dec. 17 storm, now THAT Felt like a hurricane. (of course we also lost power in a million+ homes that time (thats over 3 million if you count people, rather than houses.))

(on Edit) turns out my basement is flooded... What to do.... with the clayey soils here, the water has no place to go...

[lovuian]

47. Flooding now we got that down here too

that sucks Sump pump is a possibility need here

[sentelle]

58. where would the water go....

The sump pump is working full time now, but the water table is now at the line of the floor, so its a pointless thing.
At any rate, I rode the bicycle home (from Seattle to Bainbridge island, only to find the road to my house closed due to flooding.

Thank heaven we prepared for basement flooding ahead of time. Of course, getting to work today was a challenge.

[WillyT]

39. Holy Crap !!! - Look At This List Or Closed Schools, Roads, Etc. !!!

Pacific Power - Pacific Power Storm and Outage Update 1p.m., Dec. 3, 2007 --Currently 40,454 customers out, mainly in Clatsop and Lincoln counties --High wind warnings remain in effect in the coastal areas --Crews from other areas are being brought to the coast to assist --We expect it may be 3-4 days before power is substantially restored to these areas --In the meantime, customers should remain indoors, avoid any downed lines. Anyone with special needs should contact local emergency officials. Weather Update: Pacific Power crews worked through the night conducting damage assessments, repairs and cleaning up where they could although wind and rain were heavy all night and are expected to increase across the state. A Wind Advisory continues in the valleys of western Oregon and southwest Washington for gusts of 60 mph. The coast is still under a high wind warning for sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts of 100+ mph through Monday afternoon. Ocean swells just offshore have already topped 40 feet, prompting a high surf warning and coastal flood warning, which may impact movement of workers to restoration sites. Winds have been recorded up to 129 mph and 60 – 70 foot waves reported. The third in this series of storms will finally move north of the Oregon coast and inland Monday evening. Until then, heavy rain is expected to pound the region with as much as 8" falling in the mountains and 1 to 3" in the valleys. Most of the area is under flood watch or warning. Currently Pacific Power has approximately 40,454 customers without power. Throughout this morning, outage numbers spiked and dropped in the Northern California area with transmission issues in Crescent City, CA. The longest duration outages are in the hardest hit areas, Clatsop and Lincoln City, averaging 21 - 28 hours. Outages also have occurred today in the Bend and Medford areas as the storm moves inland. Resources: .Pacific Power is deploying all possible resources. Crews from more lightly hit portions of our territory are en route. Pacific Power has requested the loan of 10 crews from Portland General Electric. Additionally, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, which owns Pacific Power, has sent a plane carrying additional crews from Pacific's sister company, Rocky Mountain Power, in Salt Lake City. Additionally, power poles, wires trucks, cranes digging equipment and all necessary tools and equipment is being moved to these areas. The greatest transportation challenges are road closures. All highways into Clatsop County are obstructed, if not completely closed. Pacific Power is working closely with Oregon Department of Transportation to assist getting people and equipment to the necessary locations. Estimates for Restoration: With daylight, damage assessors and managers estimating the amount of work and time necessary to substantial restore the outages. At this time, a minimum of three to four days is estimated to substantially restore power to the hardest hit areas, Clatsop County and Lincoln City. Pacific Power will make every effort to exceed these timeframes, but strongly recommends estimating three to four days for citizens to plan food, medical and other supplies. Residents are recommended to contact local emergency service and medical providers if they have emergency circumstances. Pacific Power also reinforces the caution to residents to stay indoors, avoid treed areas and always avoid downed power lines. Down lines should always be assumed to be live and very dangerous. Because we believe that some outages could be of extended length and we encourage customers to prepare for that possibility by having warm layers of clothing, flashlights and battery operated radios, a hand operated can opener and supplies of non-perishable foods and bottled water all easily accessible. As utility crews work to reenergize communities, customers are being asked to help ensure smooth restoration. Customers still without power can help by: • Unplugging appliances, television and stereos and other electrical equipment around their homes. This will reduce the demand on the system as power is brought back on. • Turning ON porch lights so crews can tell when power has been restored to particular areas Reporting outages again by calling 1-877 LITES OUT (1-877-548-3768) UPDATE

Link: http://www.katu.com/weather/closings

Man, this don't look good.

:scared:

[MissB]

42. Not so bad in Pdx.

I live in the hills, surrounded by really, really big trees. :rofl: Mostly, it is just wet. When it rains like this, I do end up getting water in my basement, but thankfully it flows out to the garage door and then down the driveway. At times yesterday, I could actually *see* the water flowing through the basement.

Over the past few years, the utility company has upgraded our power lines to withstand stormy weather, so at least we're still in lights and heat.

Quite a few of the roads near creeks are flooded, though. Nice thing about living on a hill - it all flows down.

The coast is just soaked. It'll take them weeks to mop it all up, but they've dealt with severe flooding before.

[Breeze54]

48. "swells just offshore have already topped 40 feet" - Yikes!!

Don't go swimming, whatever you do! ;)

That sucks that all those people are without power. :(

I hope you all are staying safe! :hug:

[lonestarnot]

46. Damn! I hope my bro is ok.

[Noonecares]

49. Is this global warming or cooling?

NT

[Lydia Leftcoast]

52. It's global *climate change.* which is exactly what the computer models

predict.

Warmer in some places, cooler in others, bigger storms everywhere.

[Gabi Hayes]

50. it's so obvious...only way to protect yourself from the weather is with tinfoil:

Weather Control/Modification"A series of weather disasters began in 1960, according to a CIA report ... is not alone in this weather control/modification technology and research. ...
www.angelfire.com/al3/libertieswatch2000/WeatherModification.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pages

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[Gabi Hayes]

51. safe and sound.....

[WillyT]

53. Um... What... Exactly... Is The Story Behind That Photo, LOL ???

:wow::rofl::wow:

[kineneb]

56. that is sure a lot of tinfoil

maybe someone had a bad day...

[uppityperson]

57. western WA and OR are messes

rain, flooding, mudslides, trees/powerlines down, roads blocked, etc etc. Just reading WSDOT road closures and I'm glad I live in the rain/wind shadow and don't have to go anywhere. Lots of people with problems here. Good luck and stay safe all.

Edited to add even I-5 is closed in several places, expected to stay closed for a couple days. To get from Seattle to Portland you are supposed to go through Yakima (across mts through eastern part of state). It's pretty wild, big mess.